A hunter, popularly called Odonkoro from Ufa in Igarra the headquarters of Akoko-Edo Local Government area, has been reportedly shot dead by suspected kidnappers.
The deceased was killed while he and his colleagues and members of the local vigilante group were combing the forest around Igarra and neighbouring communities for kidnapers and to rescue their victims.
There has been a resurgence of kidnapping in the area with the recent kidnapping of five people within two days along Farm Road in Igarra and one of them was released after an undisclosed ransom was paid.
A member of the vigilante group who witnessed the killing while narrating the incident said it happened on Tuesday while the kidnappers were arrested on Wednesday.
The vigilante said, “We divided ourselves into two groups and went in different directions but unknown to us, the kidnappers had sighted us so while we were trying to take position, they shot and killed him.
“They were trying to round us up but our colleagues who heard the gunshot started running in our direction and that was how the kidnappers ran away in panic. We later got to their camp where we saw some items including a phone without battery, sim card and other cooked and raw food.”
On the arrested suspect, he said, “The man disguised as if he was waiting for a commercial vehicle along the Igarra – Ibillo Road where he was caught and he has been handed over to the police”
The state government while reacting to the state of security in the state said it was training members of the vigilante group to strengthen security in the state.
The Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare said, “As we speak, the Edo State government is training over 1,500 people for the vigilante assignment. A few weeks ago, we did six local government areas at the Mobile Police Training School at Ogida Barrack.
“We are reconditioning them to think and act like law enforcement agencies and they are to protect the lives of Edo people,” he added.
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