Clash erupts between vigilante group, police operatives over food
Clash erupts between vigilante group, police operatives over food
Tensions flared late last night at Owoniyi Motor Park, Roadblock, Jalingo, when personnel from the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) and officers of the Nigeria Police Force were involved in a dramatic confrontation.
The clash occurred around 11 p.m. after a food-related dispute escalated into a violent standoff.
Muniru Bello Abubakar, the State Operations Commandant of VGN, explained that the group has a designated operational office near the motor park, where their officers are stationed to maintain peace and intervene in public disturbances when necessary. According to Abubakar, the incident began when a food vendor reported that a man had eaten her food but refused to pay.
The VGN personnel, who are often called to mediate such issues, instructed the woman to contact the man in question so the matter could be resolved without causing public embarrassment.
However, the situation soon took a turn for the worse. The vendor later informed the VGN that the man had insulted her when confronted about the unpaid meal.
A member of the Vigilante group attempted to address the situation, but the man allegedly grabbed the officer by the collar and pulled him. Tensions escalated when the man, in retaliation, gathered a group of his associates with the intention of setting the VGN office on fire.
In an attempt to control the situation, the Vigilante officer contacted the State Commandant, who advised caution to avoid further escalation.
Despite this, the VGN team successfully located and detained the man at the center of the disturbance, transporting him to their office. This prompted the arrival of Nigeria Police officers on the scene shortly thereafter.
The situation took a dramatic turn when the police arrested a member of the VGN, demanding his release in exchange for the detained man.
“The police insisted that they would only release the VGN member if the individual they had detained was set free,” Abubakar recounted.
What followed was a chaotic showdown between the two law enforcement groups, both tasked with maintaining peace but now in direct conflict over the matter. As tensions mounted, the head of police operations ordered the release of the detained VGN member.
However, as the police were leaving the scene, shots were fired. Two rounds were discharged, one of which grazed a VGN officer on his right foot, further intensifying the already volatile situation.
At the time of reporting, the man who initially caused the dispute was handed over to the police. Abubakar expressed his dismay over the incident, criticizing the involvement of the police in an affair that could have been handled collaboratively.
“We expect cooperation between law enforcement agencies, not conflict,” he said, stressing that the VGN had already reported the matter to the relevant authorities for further investigation.
