A quiet Saturday morning in the Vom community of Jos South turned into a tragedy when a local vigilante reportedly shot and killed his own colleague following a minor disagreement during their patrol.
Sources within the Plateau State community revealed that the victim, identified as Jafar Umar, was fatally wounded while carrying out routine duties alongside the suspect. Both men served as members of the Hunters Vigilante, a local security group dedicated to protecting the region.
The heartbroken father of the deceased, Alh. Umaru Umar, spoke out on Sunday to confirm the devastating news of his son’s passing.
Reflecting on the horrific moment he learned of the loss, he said: “I was called to the police station and told my son had been killed. Upon arrival, I confirmed the victim was indeed my son.
The police explained that he was killed by a fellow vigilante while they were patrolling together. It is very unfortunate because the man who shot him is like a neighbor and knew Jafar very well.
Our families know each other, but there is nothing I can do now except ask that the security forces do what is necessary to ensure justice for my son.”
The Jos South Area Commander of the Nigerian Forest Security Service, Pam Gyang Pwajok, also acknowledged the shooting but admitted that the full picture of what transpired is still being pieced together.
“I heard that something like that happened in Vom, but I do not have the full details yet,” Pwajok stated. “I have directed my team to investigate the incident and provide a report; I am currently awaiting those findings.”
According to insiders within the security forces, the suspect did not flee; instead, he reportedly turned himself in to the police shortly after the trigger was pulled, and a formal investigation is now underway.
At the time of this report, attempts to get an official statement from the Plateau State Police spokesperson, SP Alfred Alabo, were not successful as he could not be reached for comment.