By ERIC UGBOR

ABA—IT was a harrowing night for residents of Peter Agu and Palm Streets of the Ndiegoro axis, Aba, Abia State as robbers in their numbers invaded the area in the wee hours of yesterday, shot dead a local vigilante, wounded another and made away with cash and other valuables worth several millions of naira after raiding several houses.

It was gathered that at about 3.30am, the gunmen numbering over 13 had stormed the area and a local vigilante whose name was given as Sunday Okorie Awa from Ugwueke in Bende Local Government who had hidden himself in an uncompleted building, attempted to raise an alarm to alert residents to the imminent danger.

But unknown to him, one of the hoodlums had already taken cover within the uncompleted building and he was immediately shot dead by the armed robber.

Another local vigilante was also shot in the leg and seriously wounded by the bandits.

After silencing the security men on Peter Agu Street, the gunmen who were said to be operating with sophisticated weapons, reportedly went on a robbing spree, dispossessing residents of cash and other valuables in an operation that lasted hours.

The robbers, who appeared to be having an early morning jolly ride, were said to have moved over to the adjoining Palm Street where they scaled the fence of a storey building and robbed all the occupants of cash and other valuables, after which they fled unchallenged.

A source disclosed that the police were alerted but could not get to the scene of the incident at that time as a result of non-accessibility of the area due to bad roads.

The corpse of the slain local vigilante was said to have been deposited at a mortuary in the area.

When contacted, Abia State command Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Geoffrey Ogbonna, confirmed the incident and said efforts were being made to track down the robbers.