Vigilante Leader Missing After Clash With Suspected Armed Herders

The whereabout of the leader of a local vigilante at Ipo community in Ikwerre local government area of Rivers State remains unknown after his abduction by suspected armed herders last weekend.

This is as a joint security team comprising of the Nigerian Police, the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Navy, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) raided camps operated by criminal elements, where firearms and ammunitions were recovered.

Local sources said the vigilante leader, simply identified as Ohahuru went missing shortly after a clash between members of the vigilante group and suspected armed herders at Ipo forest.

According to the sources, some natives who went to farm saw unknown persons with arms in the bush and alerted the local vigilante in the community, who mobilized and went in search of the criminal elements.

One of the sources, who pleaded anonymity stated that upon sighting the vigilante members, the criminals opened fire and in exchange of gunfire, the vigilante leader was shot on the leg.

It was gathered that other members of the vigilante group reportedly abandoned the injured leader and fled while he was later abducted by the fleeing hoodlums.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command has said it’s tactical teams, in collaboration with sister agencies on April 12, 2026, embarked on a coordinated operation to clear identified criminal camps suspected to be used as hideout for kidnapping and other criminal activities.

The Command’s spokesperson, Agabe Kaborlo Blessing, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt yesterday, said during the operation, the joint security team identified the criminal hideouts at Ipo community and Igwurita-Ali community, all in Ikwerre LGA.

Agabe stated that in the course of the operation, one AK-47 rifle, 274 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and four cartridges as well as one pump-action gun, suspected to belong to the abducted vigilante leader were recovered.

The statement reads in part: “On 12th April, 2026, at about 1300 hours, Tactical Teams of the Command, in collaboration with sister security agencies including the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, DSS and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, embarked on a coordinated operation to clear identified criminal camps suspected to be used as hideout for kidnapping and other criminal activities.

“During the operation, the joint security team identified the criminal hideouts at IPO and IGRITALE Camp. In the course of the operation, the following items were recovered, One (1) AK-47 rifle, One (1) pump-action gun, Two hundred and seventy-four (274) rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, Four (4) cartridges, native bulletproof materials, a large iron cutter, communication radios and other items.

“Preliminary findings indicate that the recovered pump-action gun is suspected to be owned by the leader of the local vigilante group called (OSPAC) alleged to have been previously abducted.

“The criminal camps were successfully destroyed. However, one suspect was arrested within that vicinity and still under investigation, while other suspects fled the scene before the arrival of security operatives.

“Investigation is ongoing with a view to apprehending the fleeing suspects and rescuing the kidnapped victim.

“The Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, psc, mnips, reassures residents of its unwavering commitment to safeguarding lives and property and urges the public to continue to support security agencies with credible and timely information that would lead to the arrest of this criminal elements.”