Family of one Princewill Ogbonda has accused a vigilance group in Igwuruta, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, of killing their brother after he was arrested over alleged kidnapping.
Princewill’s younger brother, Lucky Ogbonda, told newsmen in Port Harcourt on Tuesday that his elder brother and one Peter Opurum were arrested by the vigilance outfit called Onelga Security Peace and Advisory Council (OSPAC) over a month ago on allegations of kidnapping, saying the duo were still missing.
Lucky, however, said eyewitnesses broke the news to him that the OSPAC members had taken him to a soothsayer who told them that the two suspects were guilty of the crime. The vigilance group shot them and took their bodies away.
He called on the Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan, to prevail on the vigilance group to produce his brother (Princewill) dead or alive.
Lucky stated, “They made a wild allegation against my brother that he is a kidnapper and one Peter Opurum. Immediately they started beating my elder brother with all sorts of weapons and they locked them (Princewill and Peter) up. They went and called a soothsayer ‘who is a magician’ to do what they call Bible return-return. The Bible said that my elder brother and Peter Opurum are kidnappers.
“The OSPAC Commander ordered one of his boys who took a gun and one other person, they shot both of them and immediately they called OSPAC Aluu (same outfit nearby) and they took away the body of my elder brother. From November 21 till now we have not seen him and we have not heard from him. If both of them are alive or living, we don’t know.”
Lucky expressed dismay that despite being aware of the incident, the police had refused to carry out an arrest after an initial attempt to arrest the Igwuruta OSPAC Commander and his members were resisted.
“If the DPO (Divisional Police Officer) is having difficulty arresting OSPAC in Igwuruta, he can call the Commissioner of Police for reinforcement. The OSPAC office, Igwuruta is open. They are there boasting that nothing will happen. I suspect a foul play on the part of DPO,” he alleged.
Speaking on the incident, Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association, Port Harcourt branch, Prince Nyekwere, advised the victim’s family members to write a formal petition to the police and the association.
Nyekwere noted that as much as he commends the role of the said vigilance outfit in fighting crime in the state, the law does not allow them to kill anybody.
“Nobody, including the police, OSPAC, or anyone for that matter has the right to kill anybody on allegation of any crime. Unless and until that person has passed the due process of law and found guilty by a competent Court with jurisdiction and the proper punishment meted out to the persons.
“So, people should play within the rules and the law of the land. They (OSPAC) are actually supposed to support the police in passing information. You cannot take somebody and you be the judge, the prosecutor, the executor. No, the law does not allow that.
State Police Public Relations Officer, Nnamdi Omoni, said the command is aware of the incident, adding that the CP has ordered an investigation to unravel what really transpired.
“Yes, we are aware and the CP has ordered an investigation into the incident. The matter is currently at the State Criminal and Investigation Department (SCID). At the end of the investigation I can assure you that the findings will be made public,” Omoni added.