Four Die in Youths, Vigilante Clash in Kontagora

By Laleye Dipo in Minna
 

A clash between some youths and men of the vigilante in the Angwan yanma area of Kontagora town in Niger State has led to the death of four people. 

Two vehicles, one of them the patrol van of the vigilante group were burnt. 

However the police confirmed only two deaths. 

The clash followed the death of  a 17 year old boy who was arrested and reportedly tortured by men of the vigilante while in detention. 

The arrest of the boy took place during the last Ramadan when he was accused of loitering late at night. 

After the boy was released to his parents he reportedly  developed complications as a result of the torture he went through while in detention and later died in the Kontagora general hospital. 

The report of the death of the boy angered the youths in the town resulting in their invading the Kontagora office of the vigilante group. 

It was learnt that the youths  doused the vehicles with fuel and set them ablaze. They attempted to burn the secretariat but for the quick intervention of mobile policemen.

 An eyewitness said men of the vigilante shot into the air to scare the youths but in the process stray bullets were said to have hit three people resulting in their instant death. 

Among those killed were two members of the vigilante group the eye witness said.  

Police Public Relation Officer DSP Bala Elkana who confirmed the incident however  said  only two people died while three others one of them a female were injured. 

 Elkana said  anti-riot Policemen drafted to the scene saved the headquarters of the vigilante from being burnt, adding that two members of the vigilante group had been arrested in connection with the torture of the deceased. 

“Vigilantes have no power and there is no law authorising them to detain anybody talk less of torturing any person. They only have the power to arrest anyone who commits an offence in their presence and hand over such suspect to the police.

 

“For keeping him in their detention camp and torturing him, they will face the wrath of the law and if his death is linked to the torture, then they will be charged with culpable homicide which is punishable with death”