Corps member beaten to death by Benue vigilantes

A serving National Youth Service Corps member, identified as Ben Agir, has been allegedly beaten to death by members of a community vigilante group in Buruku Local Government Area of Benue State.

It was gathered that the incident occurred in Anibros settlement during a night patrol operation by the vigilantes.

A local source said the deceased was accosted on suspicion of being involved in the theft of a motorcycle.

Confirming the incident to newsmen on Thursday, the Chairman of Buruku LGA, Raymond Aondoakura, said it happened on Sunday night between 11 pm and 12 midnight.

The chairman said, “The report came to me on Monday around 4 am. The incident happened at Mbajor settlement near the Local Government Secretariat.

“From what I gathered, they said they caught him and suspected that he was a bike snatcher. Before he could explain himself and present his identification card, one of the leaders started beating him, claiming that he was not telling them the truth.

“They beat him to a coma, and seeing his condition, they took him to a hospital that night, and he died.”

According to him, the suspects have been arrested and handed over to the police for further action.

“We confirmed that the deceased was a serving corps member,” the LG chairman stated.

He also disclosed that the council had suspended the activities of vigilante groups in the area pending proper regulation.

However, the Public Relations Officer of the National Youth Service Corps in the state, Mrs Veronica Ogwuche, told newsmen that preliminary information indicated that the deceased was not a corps member serving in Benue, adding that he may have been serving in Gombe State.

Efforts to reach the Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, were unsuccessful as calls and messages were not returned as of the time of filing this report.