A soldier, Collins Worehu, has allegedly been killed by a member of a local vigilance group, Onelga Security Peace and Advisory Committee, in Obele community, Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Worehu, who was serving in Niger State, was said to have visited his home town after he obtained permission from the Army.
A former caretaker chairman, Obele Community Development Committee, Israel Anele, said the deceased was on his way home around 10pm when the incident happened.
Anele stated, “The military man, who was serving in Niger State, was returning to his residence at Elele around 10pm with his friend, a warder of the Nigeria Correctional Service.
“They got to a point along Elele-Obelle Road where the OSPAC people held some of his relatives. So, he intervened and asked them to free his relatives.
“The OSPAC people got angry and asked why he was interfering. He said as an Army officer he could not see his brothers in that situation without stopping to know what the issue was.
“Then the OSPAC people asked him to leave the place or that they were going to shoot him. He asked why they would do such a thing. There was a little argument and the OSPAC members asked him to lie down. He asked what he did and why he would be asked to lie down.
“That was when one of the OSPAC members — they were almost eight — shot him in the chest and head.
“The OSPAC people then searched him, collected his phone, the money in his pocket and everything found on him.
“As they (vigilante) left, the people in the village heard the gunshots and came out to see what happened.”
He said the matter was reported to the police at Rumuji, adding that the vigilantes fled their office as angry youths stormed the facility and set it ablaze.
The state police acting spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, who confirmed the incident said that three persons had been arrested.
She said, “Yes, the police have arrested three persons and investigation is ongoing. Meanwhile, the matter has been transferred to the State Criminal and Investigation Department.”
Efforts to reach the spokesman for the Nigerian Army, 6 Division, Port Harcourt, Charles Ekeocha, proved abortive, as he did not answer his calls or reply to a text message from our correspondent as of the time of filing this report.