PORT HARCOURT: The leader of a vigilante group and two other members of the body have been arrested for torturing a man to death in Rivers State.
The incident happened at Okogbe Community in Ahoada West Local Government Area of the state.
They were arrested by the Youths of the community and a Joint Task Force team in Ukpeliede Community on Sunday, when the trio were attempting to dispose off the remains of their victim.
It was alleged that the suspects had on Saturday arrested their victim identified as Ghadafi after accusing him of stealing palm fruits from Okogbe.
The suspects, who had arrested Ghadafi had allegedly tortured him to death and were making efforts to dump his remains in a secluded place before they were arrested.
It was gathered that when security operatives accosted the suspects that the hands and legs of the dead victim were still tied with ropes.
When the security queried the suspects upon arrest, Joshua claimed that the victim has been terrorising the community and they had to apprehend him with a view to banish him from the community when he unfortunately died in the process.
Speaking, the Chief Security Officer of Ukpeliede Community, Mr Osiga King, said the community youths noticed some suspicious moves and quickly contacted security agents in their area.
King said the quickly intervention of the security formations in their area led to arrest of the suspects, adding that the suspects entered their community to dump remains of their victim.
He narrated: “These days we have been experiencing communities being invaded by these boys such like Idu-Ekpeye, so as security coordinator of the community I met with soldiers guarding facilities in our community, so today we decided to be on guard to watch our environment.
“Today we sighted a motorcycle carrying someone that seems to be dead. He drove towards a community called Idu-Ekpeye. So upon tracing them, we discovered that they dropped a dead body in my community (Ukpeliede) and they left. I contacted soldiers guarding a facility in my community about what is happening close to their location. So, we drove to the point where they kept the corpse and we took pictures and left.
“Immediately we left, the bike man whom dropped one Okpara Chinyere quickly went back and carried two other men, one Joshua and Friday Silas to transfer the corpse to another corner.
“I and my men ran after them while they were going back to Okogbe community and stopped them on the road. I quickly contacted the soldiers and informed the DSS director in Akinima who informed the DPO of Akinima Police Division and other security agencies.
“The suspects now led us to the scene where they transferred the corpse. Three persons were arrested. One Obed Godlove from Idu-Ekpeye community, Friday Silas and Joshua from Okogbe community. They confessed that they killed the young man known as Ghadafi by torture.
“They said the deceased has been into stealing people’s palm fruit. They said he even stole a Youth Corps member’s phone last year. That the deceased has been terrorising the community. That they had reported to the DPO, the Area Command before now but he (the deceased) was still terrorizing the community,” Mr King said.
The Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, a Chief Superintendent of Police, confirmed the development.
Iringe-Koko said: “The suspect was involved in various cases of stealing and also attempted to rape an NYSC member in 2023.
“He was assaulted by community youths, which led to his death. Meanwhile, three suspects have been arrested in connection with the case, and investigations ongoing”.
