Two members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) were on Tuesday morning crushed to death by a hit-and-run trailer driver along the Benin–Lagos Expressway, in front of the University of Benin, Ugbowo area of Edo State.

The victims, one of whom was identified as Mustapha through his identity card, were riding on a motorcycle when the trailer, reportedly speeding, rammed into them and fled the scene.

Eyewitnesses gave conflicting accounts of the tragedy. While some said the vigilantes may have attempted to flag down the trailer, others claimed they were knocked down by a minibus before the trailer ran over them.

“It was horrifying. The trailer didn’t even slow down. One of the men had his head crushed instantly,” said a roadside hawker who witnessed the incident. “People screamed, but the driver just kept going.”

The scene quickly drew the attention of passersby and residents, many of whom decried the recklessness of drivers on the highway and the vulnerability of security volunteers.

The Edo State Police Command’s spokesperson, Moses Yamu, confirmed the incident and said the command had launched an investigation, with efforts underway to track the fleeing driver.

The remains of the victims have been deposited in a morgue, while the police continue to appeal for information that could aid the arrest of the culprit.