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Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
A vigilante member was on Monday night killed by armed robbers who came to rob a shop on Abu King Shuluwa road also known as Akpehe road.
The heavily-armed robbers had come to rob a shop belonging to an Igbo man in the area around 10:30 pm.
Sources from the area told our correspondent that the deceased vigilante member, Mr Mzambatyav Ikyegba, had come out when he heard the noise coming from the shop and went to find out what was happening.
Eyewitnesses said on realizing that it was a robbery incident, Ikyegba had grabbed one of the robbers who stood at the door of the shop.
However, the already captured robber quickly alerted his other gang members inside who in turn shot Ikyegba at close range in their bid to escape the scene.
The members of the vigilante group, as well as other youths, went on the rampage on Tuesday to protest the death of their member.
The development had caused panic in the area as shops were closed on the demand of the vigilante group who are mourning the death of their member just as many shop owners and small businesses who opened for business in the early hours of the day were allegedly harassed for opening their shops.
Some of the youths who spoke to newsmen on the condition of anonymity expressed displeasure with the shop owner where the robbery occurred saying he had something to tell the community.
“We simply don’t understand why this particular shop is reportedly robbed about the fifth time and the shop owner refused to contact the vigilante or the police about the robbery. It shows clearly that the shop owner has something he is hiding.
The Commissioner of Police, Garba Mukaddas had to quickly step into the matter to forestall further break down of law and order in the area.
Addressing the protesting vigilantes, the CP urged them to sheathe their sword and allow the police to do their work with a view to apprehending the culprits.
“Securing lives and property is a collective effort that all should be involved in and as vigilante members your role is to complement what the police are doing and as such you shouldn’t be the one to be involved in such unrest.”
State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Catherine Anene confirmed the report, saying the robbers opened fire on the vigilante when they sighted him coming out while they were robbing.
