Husband Shot Dead, Wife Critically Injured As Vigilante Allegedly

A man has been shot dead while his wife sustained critical injuries after a suspected member of a local vigilante group, allegedly attacked travellers along the Uwheru-Ohoro axis of the East-West Road in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.

The incident occurred between 5am and 6am on Saturday, August 22, 2026, when the couple and the man’s brother were travelling in an old-model Toyota 4Runner SUV to a market in Bayelsa State.

The injured woman, who narrated the incident, said they encountered a barricade on the road and initially assumed it had been mounted by the police.

According to her, they stopped at the barricade and saw a man dressed in the uniform of the Uwheru local vigilante group and armed with a pump-action gun.

She said the vigilante approached the driver and questioned him about why he failed to slow down earlier, to which her husband reportedly replied that he did not see the barricade on time.

The woman alleged that the vigilante subsequently, demanded money from them.

She said her husband initially believed the demand was the usual roadside extortion and tried to explain that they were travelling to the market to sell goods and did not have money on them.

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According to her, the vigilante became aggressive, shouting: “Did you think I’m playing?” before allegedly shooting her husband in the neck.

The woman said that after witnessing the shooting, she and her husband’s brother immediately jumped out of the vehicle and attempted to flee into the bush.

While the brother reportedly succeeded in escaping, she said she slipped and fell, allowing the attacker to catch up with her.

She alleged that the vigilante repeatedly hit her with the butt of his gun while demanding money. The woman said she pleaded with him, telling him: “Please spare me, I’m your sister, I’m from Uwheru.”

According to her, the attacker eventually stopped beating her and demanded to know where the money was.

She told him that the money was inside the vehicle, after which he allegedly returned to the SUV, took the bag and fled the scene.

The woman said her husband’s brother later returned from the bush and rushed her to a clinic in Uwheru for treatment, while her husband was subsequently taken to a hospital.

The husband, however, reportedly died from the gunshot injury.

The incident has raised fresh concerns over the activities of local vigilante groups and the safety of motorists and travellers along the East-West Road, particularly during the early hours of the day.

As of the time of filing this report, details of any arrest or official response from the police or the vigilante group were not immediately available.

The identities of the deceased man and his injured wife have not been disclosed.