A tragic incident occurred in the Okpanam Community, located in the Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, where a member of the local vigilante team was fatally shot by unidentified gunmen believed to be kidnappers.
According to available information, the vigilante member lost his life while attempting to rescue a woman who had reportedly been abducted and taken into a nearby forested area.
Eyewitness accounts suggest that the deceased, upon noticing the abduction, armed himself and ventured into the bush in a courageous effort to free the kidnapped victim. Unfortunately, he was shot by the suspected kidnappers during the daring rescue attempt, resulting in his untimely death.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer for the Delta State Command, Mr. Bright Edafe, provided brief details to the press. “According to what we heard, he saw a woman who had been kidnapped and taken into the bush. He took his firearm in an attempt to rescue her, and it was during this effort that he was shot,” Edafe explained.
However, Mr. Edafe also noted an important discrepancy in the reports. He stated that, as of the time of his briefing, no formal report had been filed with the police regarding the alleged kidnapping of a woman in the area. “We have not received any official complaint from anyone claiming that a woman was kidnapped in that location,” he added.
The incident has sparked concern among local residents and raised questions about the growing insecurity in the region, particularly regarding the safety of those who volunteer to protect their communities. Authorities have yet to release further details on the current status of the kidnapped woman.