Gunmen suspected to be bandits have killed a member of a local vigilante group, identified as Opeyemi Aina, in Egbe, Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Residents said the incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday when the deceased and other vigilante members engaged the bandits while attempting to rescue some kidnapped victims.
Aina, said to be from Ijalu compound in Egbe and a member of the Amekunlaye Vigilante Group, was reportedly shot dead during an ambush by the attackers.
Some other vigilante members were said to have escaped with varying degrees of gunshot injuries.
A resident, Mathew Babagbmi, said the group ran into an ambush during the operation.
“Opeyemi Aina, alongside other vigilante members, went out to rescue kidnap victims. Unfortunately, during the encounter, he was shot and died instantly,” he said.
Efforts to get a reaction from the Kogi State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the spokesperson, ASP Saliu Oyiza Afusat, did not respond to calls and messages as of the time of filing this report.
