A local vigilante group codenamed OSPAC has allegedly killed a shop owner at the Computer Village section of Garrison in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, during an argument.
A source that spoke in confidence said trouble began when the vigilante group accosted the man who was about to enter his shop on Wednesday evening.
The source said: “We were here in Garrison since morning doing our business. OSPAC came and held one man inside the market.
A member of the vigilante group asked the man to identify himself and where he was going to. He told them that he was an indigene and wanted to collect something in his shop.
“The OSPAC said the man don’t have any reason to enter the market by that time. There was a misunderstanding.
“They man was asking them to allow him so that he could open his shop and collect something to give to someone, but the OSPAC refused.
Before you know it, the OSPAC shot the man.”
He said the incident halted business activities as traders were forced to close shop.
He further said the situation angered the traders and residents of the community, who came out to protest the killing.
When contacted, a spokesman of the state police command, Nnamdi Omoni said he had not been briefed on the incident.
He said: “Yes, something like that happened. But we have not received any official complaint. They (traders) have a union there. They should have reported it to us. However, our men are there to ensure that the situation does not escalate.”
