News
Abia Vigilante Shoots Man Dead After He Was Accused Of Stealing A Mobile Phone
An official of the Abia State Vigilantee Service(VGN) aka Bakassi, fatally sh^ot a 27-year-old staff of De Choice Eatery in Umuahia, Abia state, over a missing phone.
The deceased, identified as Izuchukwu Mbakwe, di^ed after he was sh^ot at close range by the vigilante guard. The incident happened in front of the eatery at Okpara Square, beside a new-generation bank on Sunday, March 26, 2023.
According to reports, Mbakwe, a native of Umuosu Okaiuga Nkwoegwu in Umuahia North Local Government, recently returned to Nigeria from Dubai and got a job at DE Choice fast food.
The late Izuchukwu Mbakwe was allegedly being owed 5 Months salary by the management of DE CHOICE fast food before his untimely de^ath yesterday, March 26.
According to eyewitness reports, troubled started when a company-owned phone went missing at the restaurant.
Izuchukwu had arrived at work when the Internal Auditor summoned Vigilante Security Guards and demanded his arrest over the disappearance of the phone.
The guards allegedly str^ipped Izuchukwu Mbakwe accusing him of being responsible for the missing phone and be^at him.
One of the guards then sh^ot Izuchukwu in his leg causing injury to his femoral artery. The gu^nshots terrified other customers in the restaurant who took to their heels.
On realizing his action, the vigilante man reportedly removed his service uniform and tried to use it to stop the sea of bl^ood that was gushing out of the victim’s body.
The victim was rushed to FMC Umuahia for treatment but he di^ed having lost so much blood.
Speaking to journalists at NUJ Press Centre in Umuahia on Monday March 27, the spokesperson of the Abia State Vigilante Service, Mr. Ben Uche, said the sh^ooting was not a deliberate action but an accidental discharge from the personnel’s g^un.
Mr. Uche said the security staff did not intend to k^ill the victim but was on a peace restoration mission when the accidental discharge happened.
According to the media officer, the late Izuchukwu had a disagreement with the manager of The Choice over alleged indebtedness to the victim by the manager.
He stated that the late Izuchukwu allegedly seized a phone belonging to the manager, insisting that he must be settled before he could release the phone which sparked a shouting match between the two men.
He further explained that the Abia State security outfit’s official in trying to stop the two men from fighting mistakenly torched the trigger of his service gun which hit the victim in the lower leg region and not his lap or abdomen.
Uche, who said the matter has been reported to the police, explained that his office is already investigating the incident even as the suspect has been arrested.
He commiserated with the family of the victim, noting that Abia State Vigilante Service was known for the security of lives and property in the state and not violence.
Former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Geoffrey Nnaji, has stepped down from President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet, citing the need to safeguard his integrity and prevent distractions to the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The Presidency confirmed Nnaji’s resignation on Tuesday, following heightened public scrutiny over allegations of certificate forgery and inconsistencies in his academic records.
In a statement released the same day, Nnaji said his decision came after “careful reflection and consultations with family, associates, and well-meaning Nigerians.” He described the claims as part of a “sustained campaign of falsehood” that he believes is politically motivated, aimed at undermining both his character and office.
“These baseless allegations and media distortions have caused personal distress and begun to distract from the important work of the ministry and the Renewed Hope Agenda,” he said.
Nnaji emphasized that his resignation should not be interpreted as an admission of guilt, but rather as a personal choice to uphold due process and allow judicial proceedings to take their course.
“I cannot, in good conscience, allow these distractions to overshadow the noble objectives of the Tinubu administration,” he added, reaffirming his decades-long record of dedication and service.
Appointed in August 2023, Nnaji’s tenure ended amid investigations into alleged procurement irregularities and a public dispute with the Enugu State Government over the certificate forgery allegations.
Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has blamed the deteriorating security situation in the state on the legacy of the 2018 Offa bank robbery, linking the incident to the leadership of former Senate President Bukola Saraki and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking with journalists during a visit to Oke-Ode, the governor accused Saraki of “playing politics with security” and urged him to take responsibility for the tragic robbery incident that claimed 33 lives before criticising the current administration.
> “It was under PDP. Bukola Saraki bears a court statement that he is the leader of PDP in Kwara. Under his leadership, 33 people were killed in one day,” AbdulRazaq said in a viral video.
The governor further alleged that the armed gang behind the deadly robbery were Saraki’s loyalists, claiming they used “Aso Ebi of Saraki’s wedding” and vehicles branded with his name during the operation. He maintained that the PDP lacked the moral authority to challenge his government’s efforts in tackling insecurity.
In September 2024, a Kwara State High Court delivered judgement on the case, sentencing five suspects to death by hanging after finding them guilty of armed robbery and culpable homicide.
The convicts — Ayoade Akinnibosun, Azeez Salahudeen, Niyi Ogundiran, Ibikunle Ogunleye, and Adeola Abraham — were part of the gang responsible for the massacre.
Meanwhile, several communities in Kwara South and Central, including Oke-Ode, Patigi, and Marri, continue to suffer repeated attacks by armed gangs, leading to rising fear among residents and mass displacement from rural areas.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Air Component, OPERATION FANSAN YAMMA (OPFY) Sect 3, on 28 September 2025 conducted multiple coordinated missions across Kakihun, Oke-ode, Babanla and surrounding areas. Reconnaissance and close air support operations were executed to deter threats, while hostile elements sighted east of Babanla were decisively engaged. Concurrent surveillance flights also covered key settlements and military positions, gathering critical intelligence to support ground forces.
These missions reaffirm NAF’s commitment to protecting troops and civilians, maintaining air superiority, and sustaining pressure on hostile actors. All operations were completed successfully. The NAF assures Nigerians of its unwavering resolve to defend the nation’s territorial integrity and safeguard communities against threats. Citizens are encouraged to remain confident, vigilant, and supportive of the Armed Forces as decisive actions continue to restore lasting peace and security across the country.
Ehimen Ejodame
Air Commodore
Director of Public Relations and Information,
Headquarters, Nigerian Air Force.
29 September 2025
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