Ogun police begin manhunt as vigilante shoots motorcyclist

A yet-to-be-identified member of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria has allegedly shot a motorcyclist, Taiwo Olorunwa, in Ipara Remo, Remo North Local Government, Ogun State.

PUNCH Online learnt from the state police command that the victim was shot around 9.40 pm on Wednesday.

Olorunwa, according to information made available to PUNCH Online by a  police source on Saturday, is a resident of Isara Remo and was said to have gone to the community to collect money from one of his customers who had been owing him.

He was said to have told the police that he parked his motorcycle in front of one popular restaurant in the community before the man in a vigilante uniform suddenly showed up from the other end of the street.

“While I was waiting for my customer, who had already told me he was on his way, one of the members of the local vigilantes in the area showed up and was coming to where I stood.

“When he got to where I was standing, he asked me what my mission was in the area and whom I was waiting for. And I explained to him that I was waiting for one of my customers who had already told me he was on his way,” Olorunwa was quoted by the police.

Despite his explanations to the man, whom the police said had been on the run, the vigilante was said to have turned a deaf ear and insisted on taking the motorcycle away.

PUNCH Online learnt that while Olorunwa was said to be pleading with him not to take his motorcycle away, the vigilante allegedly shot Olorunwa.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, confirmed to PUNCH Online on Saturday that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspect.

She said, ”We have intensified the manhunt to bring the vigilante member to justice. The victim was taken to Isara General Hospital, and one native doctor was in the area where the pellets had been removed. He is responding to treatment.”

Recently, some members of the group have been charged with robberies.

In 2023, one of the leaders of the group and a unit commandant was arrested by the police in the Ijebu-Ode area over his alleged involvement in the supply of arms and robberies.

The suspect was believed to be the mastermind of several nefarious crimes that took place in Obalende and other areas of the state.