Two people were killed and another was arrested when a gang of marauders suspected to be herdsmen clashed with a vigilante group in Ubulu Uku, Aniocha South council area of Delta State, on Monday.

The assailants had laid siege along the Ubulu-Uku-Issele-Uku road, where they attacked the vigilante men, resulting in the death of one of them, identified as Sule Ukah.

Besides the casualty on the vigilante side, a motorcycle operator commonly called ‘Okada’ was also shot, and his motorcycle was burned to ashes by the marauders.

“The Okada man is, however, receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital. We don’t know what prompted the attack because, at the end of the day, we cannot say the hoodlums are robbers,” an eyewitness account stated.

Further investigation revealed that the action sparked off a massive protest by youths in the community, prompting some indigenes of northern extraction to hurriedly relocate for fear of a reprisal attack.

Confirming the story on Tuesday, the State Commissioner of Police, Wale Abbas, said a tactical team from the command was immediately deployed to the community, which has restored peace in the area.

Meanwhile, the police commissioner disclosed that the command, in the month of September, arrested 13 kidnappers, 7 robbers, and 72 cultists, recovering 54 firearms, 286 ammunition, 195 cartridges, and rescuing 9 kidnapped victims.

During a briefing with newsmen in Asaba on Tuesday, CP Abass commended the various sister security agencies for their continuous collaboration with the Command.

He condemned the act of jungle justice by members of the public.

“Apart from being an act of self-help, jungle justice is barbaric. It fosters a circle of violence and lawlessness, thereby sabotaging the prospect of having the fundamental human rights of the victims protected.

“In several instances, victims of self-help are attacked based on frivolous allegations without being allowed access to a fair hearing.

The Command will no longer tolerate this human rights abuse, as anyone who engages in such practise will be identified, fished out, and dealt with in accordance with the law.” (Nigerian Tribune)

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