By Vincent Kobiruo
Safety of lives and properties has eluded Evwreni community in Ughelli North local government area of Delta State, following an alleged killing of one person simply identified as Sylvester Adjogbe by suspected vigilante members, while many others have sustained various degrees of injuries.
The deceased was a younger brother to the former NDDC Executive Director of Projects,and President General of Evwreni community, Engr. Samuel Adjogbe and Mr. Bright Adjogbe.
It was gathered that trouble was said have started when the Nigeria Secret Police also known as the DSS were prevented from arresting a suspect fingered in the June 20 attempted assassination of Engr Adjogbe along the East/West road close to the community.
Though details of the incident was still sketchy at press time, sources from the community disclosed that one person was killed after youths from the community prevented the police from arresting the suspect.
According to the sources, “One person was killed while several others sustained various degrees of machete cuts after they were attacked by some persons whom are suspected to be members of the local vigilante in the community.
“The person killed is Sylvester Adjogbe. Men from the State Criminal Investigation Department, Asaba, led by one John Agbajie, had visited the community to arrest one Atiri Stephen following a petition by the ex-NDDC director, but were resisted by youths from the community.
“A tradional senior citizen from the community (names withheld) ordered the local vigilant and some of his loyalists to attack any relatives of Engr Samuel Adjogbe after the police had been stopped from effecting the arrest, an incident that led to the death of Sylvester Adjogbe who was killed at his father’s house.”
Contacted the President General, Bright Adjogbe said, “I cannot speak now because, i have not been briefed and and inaugurate was not around when the incident occurred”.
Efforts to speak with the State Police Public Relations Officer DSP Onome Onowakpoyeya was fruitless as at press time.
A senior Police Officer Attached to Ughelli Area Command who confirmed the incident, said, “One Sylvester Adjogbe, younger brother to the former EDP NDDC, was shot dead following a communal clash with another sustaining serious machete cuts and in admission at Central Hospital Ughelli.”
“A cut to size gun, charms were recovered from one of the suspects who sustained injuries during the incident.”
