Two Mbutu/Umuojima Vigilante members have been detained by the Abia State Police Command in the state’s Osisioma Ngwa Local Government area on charges of torturing a man to death.
In a statement on Friday, December 22, 2023, command spokeswoman Maureen Chinaka announced the arrest of the suspects, Emmanuel Onyebuenyi and vigilante commander Onyebuchi Ukandu.
The PPRO claims that the vigilante men detained Alex Ukaegbu, the victim, for carrying some iron rods while he was in charge of a construction site in Osisioma.
The victim reportedly died while in the suspects’ custody after they shackled him and demanded money before releasing him.
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“At about 10 am on December 1, a complainant reported at Osisioma Division that on November 30 at about 9 am, he was informed on the phone that his elder brother, Alex Ukaegbu, who resides in the Tonimas area of Osisioma, who was also in charge of a building site same area was arrested by members of the Mbutu/Umuojima Vigilante Unit Osisioma at about 5 pm with some pieces of iron rods,” the PPRO stated.
“The vigilante allegedly chained him in their office and were negotiating his release for the sum of N50,000. Unfortunately, Alex Ukaegbu died while in their custody.”
In response to this report, police officers were sent to the location to conduct investigations, and Alex Ukaegbu’s lifeless body was placed in the Alanwemadu Mortuary Osisioma for preservation.
For additional investigation, the matter has been moved to the State Criminal Investigation Department.
