TRAGEDY IN BENUE AS MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING HIS OWN SISTER & NEPHEW FINALLY NABBED BY VIGILANTES. (PHOTO).

 TRAGEDY IN BENUE AS MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING HIS OWN SISTER & NEPHEW FINALLY NABBED BY VIGILANTES 

A suspected notorious kidnapper, Anthony Okwori, has been arrested in Orokam district of Benue State months after allegedly killing his step-sister and her son. The suspect was apprehended by a local vigilante group following a prolonged manhunt.

A local vigilante group in Orokam district of Ogbadibo Local Government Area, Benue State, has arrested a suspected notorious kidnapper, Anthony Okwori, accused of involvement in multiple criminal activities, including kidnapping and drug supply to bandits.

Okwori had been on the run since August 13, 2025, following a deadly incident in which he allegedly led a gang to his step-sister’s residence in Adepe Ejema area of Orokam in an attempted abduction.

According to reports, the suspect and his gang stormed the residence at midnight, targeting the woman’s son who had reportedly arrived from Abuja earlier that day. The attempted kidnap was resisted, leading to a violent confrontation.

During the attack, the assailants allegedly opened fire, killing the woman, identified as Mrs. Anthonia Shuaibu, and her son, Gabriel, on the spot. A younger son, who sustained injuries, was rushed to a hospital in Enugu, where he survived.

The suspect reportedly fled the community in the early hours of August 14, before security operatives arrived. While some individuals were earlier arrested in connection with the incident, including a suspect found with a rifle and ammunition, Okwori remained at large.

In a statement, the vigilante group, popularly known as the Okalego group, said intelligence reports recently indicated that the suspect had returned to the area.

“He had remained on the run since then. A few days ago, information got to us that he was sighted in Ejema. After sustained tracking, he was finally apprehended after a struggle,” the group said.

The group confirmed that the suspect has been handed over to the police, with officers commending their efforts and describing the operation as a result of “superior intelligence and gallantry.”

Orokam community has, in recent years, grappled with rising insecurity, particularly kidnapping and violent crimes. Residents had repeatedly called on authorities to intervene, staging protests and community actions before the situation began to improve.

The arrest has drawn widespread reactions, with many residents and indigenes across various platforms commending the vigilante group for what they described as a breakthrough in the fight against crime in the area.