There was palpable panic in Ubulu-Uku community, Aniocha North Local Council of Delta State as gunmen killed a member of the vigilante group and a 76-year-old woman.

Sources said the deceased vigilante member, identified simply as Sule from Isho quarters, had simply resumed at his duty post along the Issele Uku/Ubulu Uku road, and was pulling off his cloth to wear his uniform when armed men, who had ostensibly laid ambush against him appeared from the bush and rained bullets on his head.

He reportedly slumped and died on the spot, while his assailants disappeared into the bush.

The Guardian learnt that his colleagues who later arrived at the scene were shocked to find him on the ground in the pool of his blood.

They were said to have rushed him to a nearby hospital where a doctor confirmed him dead on arrival.

His colleagues returned to the spot, and combed the bush for possible trace of his killers without success.
While the community had yet come over it, the news of a 76-year-old woman beaten to death by hoodlums came, thereby throwing residents into panic.

The woman identified as sister Theresa Okocha lived alone in Agbonta quarters along the road where the vigilante man was murdered.
She was said to have had bruises all over her body, including mouth; fueling speculations that her assailants simply pummeled her to death.

A community leader, who simply gave his name as Ikechukwu, said, aside from grieving over the multiple deaths, the whole community is now living in fear of who would be the next victim.

He said: “The killing of Sule angered his colleagues and hunters who started combing the bushes in search of the hoodlums.

“I must confess, Ubulu-Uku is under heavy attack by criminals. Just last week, a man was abducted almost at the same place that Sule was shot. Two weeks ago, another victim was kidnapped. We are at our worst trying moments.
“I don’t know whether it is because of development in the community that many atrocities are happening. Few months ago, a promising young footballer was shot dead in a popular restaurant by suspected cultists. There are constant reports of burglaries. All these are strange developments that the Obi in Councils and Ubulu-Uku Development Union, should look into.
“We can’t fold our arms and watch Ubulu-Uku go down in this evil way. Everybody is in serious panic. We are seeing evil in a once peaceful community. I am, therefore, appealing to the Obi in Councils, to do the needful, using the traditional ways to stop the menace of criminals in the community.”

Reacting, spokesperson for the state command, Bright Edafe, said the command was yet to get a report of such an incident.

He urged members of the community to go and report the sad happening to the police.
“I am not aware yet. I can assure you, the present police leadership in the state will do all within its capacity to restore normalcy to the community and bring perpetrators of the dastardly act to justice,” he said.