Benue Vigilantes Allegedly Beat Corps Member to Death

Benue Vigilantes Allegedly Beat Corps Member to Death

A young man identified as Ben Agir, said to be a serving member of the National Youth Service Corps, has reportedly died after being assaulted by a community vigilante group in Buruku Local Government Area of Benue State.

The incident occurred late Sunday night during a patrol operation in a settlement near the local government secretariat, where the victim was reportedly stopped on suspicion of motorcycle theft.

Local accounts indicated that the victim was confronted by members of the vigilante group who accused him of being involved in bike snatching. Before he could clarify his identity, he was allegedly attacked.

Chairman of Buruku LGA, Raymond Aondoakura, confirmed the development, stating that the report reached him in the early hours of Monday.

“The report came to me around 4 am. They said they caught him and suspected he was a bike snatcher. Before he could explain himself and present his identification, one of the leaders began beating him,” he said.

According to the council boss, the assault escalated quickly, leaving the victim unconscious. He was later taken to a hospital but was confirmed dead shortly after.

“They beat him to a coma, and when they saw his condition, they rushed him to the hospital that same night, but he died,” Aondoakura added.

He disclosed that those involved in the incident have been arrested and handed over to the police for investigation and possible prosecution.

In response to the incident, the local government has suspended the activities of vigilante groups in the area pending a review and proper regulation of their operations.

“We have suspended vigilante activities for now until we can ensure proper oversight,” the chairman said.

Meanwhile, the Benue State chapter of the National Youth Service Corps has raised questions over the identity of the deceased. The scheme’s Public Relations Officer in the state, Mrs Veronica Ogwuche, said preliminary checks suggested that the victim might not have been serving in Benue.

She noted that initial findings indicate he could have been posted to another state, possibly Gombe, though further verification is ongoing.

The incident has sparked concern among residents, with calls for stricter control of vigilante operations and accountability in community policing efforts.