Rivers Vigilantes Kill Two Siblings, Brand Them Kidnappers

Two siblings, Collins Ugorji and Newman Ugorji in the Idu community, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State have been reportedly killed by members of a vigilante group in the State known as OSPAC.

According to DailyTrust, the cousin of the deceased, Wade Ugorji, said Collins and Newman had gone to the Idu area of the state to visit a relation when they were arrested by the vigilante group.

He said his cousins were branded kidnappers by the vigilantes who took them to custody and consequently shot them to death.

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He also alleged that a motorbike that belonged to the victims as well as their other personal belongings were taken away by the vigilante group.

He said, “On the 1st of mMay2024, my cousin, Mr. Collins Ugorji popularly known as NwaAba, and his younger brother Mr Newman Ugorji, who just came from Benin where he was based, went to the Idu community in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni L.G.A in Rivers State in the evening and they were arrested by the OSPAC officials, who killed both of them claiming that they were kidnappers.

“On the 2nd of May, we heard news that two kidnappers were killed at Idu, as their pictures went viral on social media. I was called by someone who recognised them. We went to Omoku Police Division and reported the matter. The DPO and his men and two of my brothers went to the Idu community.

“One of the OSPAC members was threatening the DPO, saying if not that he is the DPO, he would not have taken it lightly with him.

“The vigilante member threatened and warned the DPO not to come back to the area again. As of this moment, their corpses are nowhere to be found. They hid the bodies as soon as they discovered that the two brothers were innocent but their ploy could not work because some people within the area took pictures of the corpses. The slippers of Mr Newman was recovered in Idu OSPAC office with blood stains.”

Wade called on the state governor, the IGP and the state Commissioner of Police and well-meaning citizens of Rivers to come to his aid and ensure that the killers of his cousins are apprehended.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, SP Grace Iringe Koko, confirmed that the DPO of Omoku Police Division with his patrol team had visited Idu community.

She said one of the vigilante members and four other suspects had been arrested in connection to the murder, adding the case had been transferred to State Criminal and Investigation Department for discreet investigation.