The Ebonyi State Police Command has confirmed the gruesome murder of a 48-year-old vigilante, Micheal Nnaji, resident in Ngbo Amaka in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state.
The State Police Spokesman, DSP Joshua Ukandu, confirmed the incident on Thursday night to journalists.
DSP Ukandu, who said the information was still sketchy, added that the command had visited the scene of the incident and had commenced investigation into the matter.
Nnaji, a businessman and a member of the local security in Ngbo Community, was said to have been shot twice by the hoodlums who invaded his business area at about 99:45 pm on Tuesday night.
A family source who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said that two masked hoodlums came on a motorcycle to perpetrate the act.
“We were at the shop at about 9:45 pm when two young men zoomed into the compound wearing masks. One came in from the front door while the other came in from the back door and immediately, they made their way to the living room where Mike was relaxing and shot him twice.
“Immediately I heard the gunshot, I rushed out from the backward, and one of them grabbed me, collected my phone, and dragged me to the house, but as God will have it, I freed myself from him and ran to the nearby compound.
“As a result of the gunshots, most of the residents of the area all scampered for safety, leaving him and the hoodlums. After shooting him, they set him ablaze inside the house and zoomed off.
“Out of fear, nobody came around for his rescue, and his corpse was severely burnt. Other household items, including two deep freezers, television sets, chairs, tables, fans, cooking utensils, cars, and other items, were all completely burnt,” the source said.
The family source maintained that Mike, who had been residing in the community for years, was a quiet and jovial man, wondering who would have committed the act.
A community leader, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, called on security agencies in the state to ensure justice is served.
He added that the incessant killings in the Ohaukwu had become alarming.
It was learnt that the remains of the deceased had been evacuated to the Ezzamgbo General Hospital mortuary.
Daily Trust gathered that hardly a week went by when the community would not witness a murder case.
Last week a young man of about 32 years old was killed and his corpse was found in a shallow grave in Ezzamgbo axis of Ohaukwu LGA.
The chairman of the area, identified simply as Odono who confirmed the incident, said the matter was before the police.
The deceased, a native of Ngbo community, was said to have wedded last year and returned home from oversea before he met his untimely death.
