[dropcap]A[/dropcap]n atmosphere of pandemonium enveloped Okpanam community in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State in the early hours of on Thursday, as youths protested the gruesome murder of the Chairman of the community vigilance group, Mr. Emeka Nwaedozie, by suspected to be Fulani herdsmen kidnappers.
Also killed, while on a mission to rescue earlier kidnapped victims, was a member of the group, simply identified as Face, a native of Onicha-Ugbo, but resident in Okpanam.
The youths, who were highly incensed by the unwholesome act, blocked both sides of the Benin/ Asaba expressway by Okpanam Junction, making bonfires for more than two hours.
It took the intervention of military men from the 63 Brigade, Asaba, police men and operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corp (NSCDC), to placate the youths and restore normalcy on the highway.
A community source disclosed to reporter that the Vigilante Chairman received a distress call at about 8:00pm, on Wednesday night, that a woman and her daughter living at Government Cooperative Estate across the Benin/Asaba expressway by Okpanam junction had been kidnapped.
Our source revealed that he quickly contacted one of his members to accompany him on the rescue mission. It was also alleged that before he left with his men, he had a discussion with the a flower of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), Okpanam Police Station, who, according to our source, had also received information about the kidnap incident.
Speaking to reporter, Secretary of the vigilante group, Mr. Joseph Ijeh, added that he was reliably informed that when the kidnappers heard the noise of the motorcycle ferrying the vigilante men coming towards them, they ran into the bush and took cover.
Ijeh alleged that, as soon as the men rode past where the kidnappers were hiding, they (kidnappers )opened from behind, killing Emeka and Face, while the other vigilante member, who escaped with gunshot wound and currently receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba, escaped into the bush.
At an emergency meeting held in the Palace of the Ugoani of Okpanam, HRM (Dr.) Michael Mbanefo Ogbolu, the royal father, who was visibly pained, appealed to the people, particularly the youths, to eschew any act of violence, stressing that the incident had subjected the community to sorrow. The Monarch told them that there was need to minimize the casualty, adding the spirit of good leadership should take the place of emotion in the present circumstance.
He urged them to remain calm, as measures would be taken, in collaboration with the state government and security agencies, for adequate security coverage of the community.
In his response, the President of the community youth organization, Comrade Friday Okonkwo, assured the Ugoani and the Council members, that he and his executive would take necessary steps to ensure there was no violence, and called on the community leaders to do the needful as the occasion demanded.
Meanwhile, many residents in the area where the kidnap incident took place, are now relocating to safer places, complaining that kidnapping was becoming rampant in the area.
Speaking to reporter, a landlord, who did not want his name in print, said that the late vigilante chairman, was so committed to his assignment and was always working round- the -clock to checkmate the incidence of crime in the area.
He, however, appealed to the community leaders and the state government to come to their aid by relocating the Fulani herdsmen from their present abode at the Okpanam bypass and their camp situated across the Benin/Asaba expressway, pointing out that some of the kidnappers use those places as their operational bases.