A suspected armed robber on Monday night lost his life, while two of his colleagues escaped with two motorcycles and phones they had snatched from victims, in Aba, Abia State.

The deceased, whose name was given as Orji Ogele, was said to have, with three other members of his gang, blocked a road in Umunkama area of Ugwunagbo Council Area, close to Aba South, engaged in harassment, intimidation and snatching belongings from passersby, including motorcycles, cell phones, cash and other valuables, especially from unsuspecting traders returning from the day’s businesses.

It wasgathered that some of those that had their possessions taken away, alerted members of the local vigilante group who promptly got to the scene and confronted the armed gang.

It was further gathered that Ogele, whose wife recently gave birth, was discharged from detention for stabbing someone a few weeks ago, even as he was variously accused of committing atrocities, with reckless abandon.

Eyewitnesses said that in the ensuing fight with the vigilantes, the dead bandit who had a locally made short gun fired at one vigilante operatives who dodged and subsequently grabbed him, knocking away the gun and in a scramble, the bandit was strangulated.

On seeing what had happened, according to the witnesses, his two colleagues (other bandits), took to their heels, making away with two of the motorcycles, some of the phones and bags.

As at the time of this report, the corpse of the strangulated bandit, said to be a popular youth within the axis, was still lying on the wayside, with the matter said to have been reported to the newly established police Area command in Azumini Ndoki, UkwaEast, though the Ugwunagbo division was yet to visit the scene.(Daily Sun)