A resident of Elele community in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, identified as Confidence Ikechi, was beaten to death over the weekend by operatives of the local vigilante group after a quarrel involving the girlfriend of one of its members.
The elder brother of the deceased, Chiwenkpe Ikechi, confirmed the incident to journalists on Sunday.
According to him, the deceased returned from work around 11 p.m. on Friday to his compound, which also houses the lady in question. She allegedly insulted him for being drunk.
This led to an exchange of words, during which Chiwenkpe claimed the lady slapped his late brother and spat on him. The deceased retaliated by slapping her back. In response, the lady invited her vigilante boyfriend, named God’spower, who also called a colleague, J-Boy. The vigilante operatives then allegedly attacked the deceased with machetes and sticks until he bled to death.
Chiwenkpe Ikechi said he reported the matter to the local police division. The vigilante operative and the girlfriend have since been arrested, and the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) in Port Harcourt for further investigation.
Rivers State Police spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident, stating that the suspects have been arrested and transferred to the SCIID for discreet investigation.
