The Delta State Police Command has confirmed that a vigilante operative on duty at a hotel in Sapele fatally shot three persons during a disturbance in the early hours of Monday, December 1.
Commissioner of Police Olufemi Abaniwonda disclosed the development on Thursday, while Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, confirmed the incident in Warri.
According to Edafe, the vigilante responsible for the shooting fled the scene immediately after the attack. “The suspect who shot is at large,” he said.
It was gathered that the incident occurred at a hotel in Ibada-Elume Community after power supply abruptly went off, forcing some youths lodging there to step outside due to the heat.
Their noise reportedly drew the attention of the vigilante on duty, who ordered them to return to their rooms and allegedly threatened to shoot if they failed to comply.
The youths dismissed the threat, prompting the vigilante to open fire, hitting one victim who was rushed to the hospital but later confirmed dead.
The news of the killing sparked outrage among the youths, who mobilized and headed for the hotel.
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By the time they arrived, the vigilante had called for reinforcement, and in an attempt to disperse the aggrieved crowd, they reportedly opened fire again, killing two more persons on the spot.
The youths later regrouped for a reprisal but found that the vigilante had escaped. In anger, they set the hotel ablaze.
Police authorities say the matter is now under investigation at the Sapele Area Command as efforts intensify to apprehend the fleeing suspect and restore calm in the area.