A member of the Ughelli Vigilante Group, Mr. Lucky Ighowhare, has been shot and killed on Monday night by unknown youths.
Two other individuals, Mr. Onome Oyibo, who was shot at the Ughelli Main Market and Mr. Nathaniel Ogra, succumbed to gunshot wounds at Ughelli Central Hospital.
Mr. Ighowhare, 58, known as ‘Thunder,’ was attacked at home as his wife and children prepared to have dinner around 10pm.
Eyewitnesses report that a group of youths from one of the rival communities stormed his residence on
Sam-Oteri Street and opened fire at his doorstep.
The killing may not be unconnected to the conflict over control of revenue from the Ughelli main market in Ughelli North local government area, Delta State.
According to sources, the incident was chaotic, with gunfire causing residents to flee in fear while he was left in a pool of his blood.
One eyewitness described the scene, noting that Mr. Ighowhare was sitting with his family, waiting for their meal to finish warming, when the shooting occurred.
In response to the violence, the Ughelli main market has been temporarily closed, and community leaders have remained silent regarding the situation.
Security checkpoints have been established around the market area to prevent further conflict.
At the time of this report, the bodies of the victims are being held at the morgue of Ughelli Central Hospital.
The killing of Ighowhare marked the third fatality in recent violence between the two communities, raising fears of possible retaliatory attacks between the Otor-Iwhreko and Ekiugbo communities, who are engaged in the superiority battle over who should manage market revenue.
