Ughelli Army arrests 3 over alleged killing of okada rider in Delta

Agbarha-Otor—Military officials attached to the 222nd Battalion, Agbarha-Otor, Ughelli have arrested three members of a local vigilante group at Oveto Street in the town for allegedly killing an unidentified commercial motorcycle operator popularly known as okada rider on New Year’s Day...


Two single barrel guns, 4 live cartridges and a cutlass were said to have been recovered from the suspects, Peter Oghenechuko of the Ughelli Vigilante Council, UVC, Sunny Oyovwire and Fidelis Onwah, already handed over to the Ughelli ‘B’ Division police station.

A female passenger of the victim (name withheld) told newsmen that the victim was shot at the back of his head by one of the vigilante members who had accosted them along Oveto Street following an argument between the okada rider and the vigilante group.

Accepting blame for the death of the okada rider, the suspect who allegedly pulled the trigger, Peter Ogheneochuko, described the incident as an accidental discharge noting that he never intended shooting the victim.

He said: “I wanted to shoot into the air to scare him while he (okada rider) tried to ram into me with his motorcycle when the gun exploded and hit him on the head.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Celestina Kalu, while confirming the incident, disclosed that the victim was rushed to the Ughelli Central hospital where he later died, adding that investigations into the matter are still ongoing.