Reckless vigilante driver kills young girl, injures ‘Okada’ Rider in Sapele
By Owen Akenzua
A yet-to-be-identified member of the Sapele vigilante group has been arrested and detained by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force in Sapele, Delta State, following a tragic incident that claimed the life of a young girl and left a commercial motorcyclist, popularly known as Okada rider, critically injured.
The unfortunate incident occurred along Okpe Road, near the popular Foodland fast-food joint, when the vigilante driver, in a bid to hurriedly leave the scene of a traffic altercation, reversed his Sienna bus at high speed without checking his rear, crashing into the unsuspecting victims who were behind him.
Eyewitnesses who spoke to Journalists said the chaos started when a motorist was intercepted by officials of the Delta State Traffic Management Authority (DESTMA) over alleged violation of traffic regulations. As tempers flared between the motorist and DESTMA operatives, one of the officials reportedly contacted a vigilante officer to come and arrest the motorist.
“The vigilante guy arrived in a flash, behaving like he was on some military mission,” said a trader who gave her name simply as Mama Tega. “Before anyone could blink, the matter between the DESTMA men and the driver was resolved. But the vigilante man, in his haste to leave, jumped into his Sienna bus, slammed it in reverse without looking, and crushed a young girl and the Okada rider standing behind him.”
The victims were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital by a tricycle (Keke Napep) operator and other good Samaritans, but the girl was pronounced dead on arrival. The Okada rider is reportedly receiving treatment for severe injuries.
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A police source at the Sapele Division, who pleaded anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, confirmed the incident to newsmen.
“Yes, the vigilante is in our custody. We’re investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. Contrary to reports making rounds on social media, the Keke man who rushed the victims to the hospital was not arrested,” the source clarified.
He debunked viral claims by a Facebook blogger that the tricycle rider was arrested by the police, describing the report as misleading and insensitive.
“My brother, does it make any sense to arrest someone who’s trying to save lives?” the officer asked rhetorically.
Meanwhile, tension remains high in the area as residents and rights activists call for justice for the deceased and proper disciplinary measures for what they term “reckless abuse of authority” by vigilante personnel operating in the area.
“This is not the first time we are seeing these so-called vigilante people behaving like they are above the law,” said Mr. Tosan Edema, a resident in the area. “Now a young girl is gone just like that. The government must regulate these people. They should not be allowed to turn our roads into battle zones.”
Efforts to get comments from DESTMA officials regarding the involvement of their personnel in summoning the vigilante were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
The remains of the deceased girl have reportedly been deposited at the Sapele General Hospital morgue, while police investigations continue. SP Bright Edafe, police spokesman in Delta state, however confirmed the incident, disclosing that investigation was ongoing into the killing
