The Edo State Police Command has apprehended a local vigilante member in Benin City following his alleged involvement in the murder of an artisan, whose body was subsequently set on fire.
Moses Yamu, the Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, revealed this development on Sunday. He reported that the suspect was detained by officials from the Textile Mill Road Division after receiving a distress call from the community around 8 a.m. on February 20, 2025.
According to Yamu, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) was alerted to the presence of a middle-aged man’s corpse, hidden beneath sawdust and burning. In response, the DPO quickly dispatched officers to the scene, where the team discovered the body ablaze beneath the sawdust.
The corpse was transported to the hospital, where authorities noted that the deceased had suffered a gunshot wound to the back of the neck.
An investigation has commenced, with one suspect currently in custody who was the security personnel at the sawmill at the time of the incident. Yamu assured that the case has been forwarded to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a thorough inquiry, and the suspect will face murder charges upon completion of the investigation.
The victim, identified as Lasan Osaze Erhabor, reportedly had a dispute with the local vigilante member prior to his death. Witnesses claim that on the night in question, Erhabor was returning home with a friend when they were confronted by the suspect near the sawmill. Armed with a double-barrel gun, the vigilante allegedly questioned Erhabor about his late return, accusing him of being a thief and trying to steal from the sawmill.
During the confrontation, the suspect allegedly shot Erhabor and then dragged his body into the sawmill, where he covered it with sawdust and set it ablaze.
