A member of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria, Kayode Goriola, has been killed by suspected kidnappers in Igbe community in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the incident occurred at past midnight on Saturday.

It was gathered that the assailants stormed the area after entering through the swampy part of the community.

They however encountered Goriola and his colleague who attempted to foil the kidnap attempt.

A resident, Tunji Alao, who spoke to our correspondent on Monday, said the kidnappers shot Goriola in the process and then whisked his colleague away.

He said, ?Goriola and one of his colleagues were going about their duty when the kidnappers arrived through a swampy area in the community. The two of them attempted to restrict the kidnappers but they were overpowered. The kidnappers thereafter attempted to take them away but Goriola refused and that made them shoot him in the head and the other person was taken away.?

A resident who identified himself simply as Okla said it was the fourth time such an incident would happen in the community.

According to him, a couple was kidnapped in the previous attack while a security operative was killed and one other injured in the process.

He said, ?The community is prone to kidnappings. And this is the fourth time kidnappers have attacked us. A man and a woman believed to be a couple was abducted from their vehicle last year and the kidnappers left their baby inside. A ransom was paid before they were released. A similar incident also resulted in the death of a member of the vigilante group, while their leader was shot in the arm and hospitalised for two months at the Ikorodu General Hospital.?

When contacted, the head of the vigilante group in the community, Lawal Abdullahi, confirmed the incident. He however claimed to be busy with the burial plans of the deceased.

?We have reported at the station about retrieving his corpse from the mortuary. You can hear people?s voices in the background. We can talk later in the night,? he said.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, could not be reached as calls made to his telephone were not responded to. A text message sent to him had yet to be replied to as of the time this report was filed. (The PUNCH)

Update news