Vigilante shoots man dead for wooing girlfriend in Rivers

The Rivers State Police Command said it's handling a case in which a vigilante shot a man dead for making advances at his girlfriend. 

At a media parley in Port Harcourt where Rivers Commissioner of Police, CP Nwonyi Emeka, warned against excesses of vigilantes in the state, the Police tagged most members of popular vigilante group, the Onelga Security Peace Advisory Committee (OSPAC) as criminals. 

Deputy Commissioner of Police,(DCP) Victor Erivwede, in charge of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) said, "There are many human rights abuses by the vigilance group.

"OSPAC started well, but derailed when they began taking contracts from political leaders. If I have my way I will tell the CP to review OSPAC as a vigilante group. 

"Many of the OSPAC are criminals. I have a case in my table where a vigilante member shot a man dead because the man spoke to his girlfriend."

In the riot act he read to vigilantes across the state, CP Emeka acknowledged that, "Vigilante in crime fighting in Rivers has come to stay. While we like their activities, we are concerned over their excess. 

"We will not tolerate jungle justice  from vigilantes. We cannot have a  group of people to protect life and property, and same people are the ones killing, beheading. Tyranny among vigilantes must be curtailed.

"They are not a force unit themselves. For instance, we have situations where they turn to debt collectors, flogging people. Your duty is to arrest and share information. 

"You don't have power to detain and investigate. If a person is condemned by court for hanging, and the person is shot, the person who shot him has committed murder.

"Vigilantes, maintain your mandate. Activities of vigilante groups must be monitored by traditional rulers, Police, Local Government chairmen. Any arrest made by the vigilante group must be handed over to the Police".

Chairmen of Omuma, Ikwerre, Etche, PortHarcourt, Obio/Akpor Local Governments, traditional rulers, youth leaders, vigilance groups were present on the occasion.