Update: How Delta vigilante group beat young man to death over missing Nokia torchlight phone that was later found with the owner’s child

A 29-year-old man identified as Joe Philip a.k.a Aboy, was beaten to death by members of Anioma Security Watch Network in Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State over a missing Nokia touch light phone. 

The incident happened on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 16, 2024, following the death of a young man whom they said was accused of stealing a Nokia touch light phone.

According to an eyewitness who spoke to an Ika news portal, the deceased returned from the church and turned on his generator to relax when an elderly woman living in the same compound with him came to charge her phone in his room to come pick it up later. 

While the young man was having a nap, it was said that the woman’s son came to pick up his mother’s phone from the young man’s room without his knowledge.

It was gathered that when the woman returned to pick up her phone and couldn’t find it, the deceased expressed dismay at the disappearance of the phone, however, promised to replace it for her, but the woman insisted that she needed her exact phone or else she would ‘’teach him a lesson of his life.”

The young man’s plea to provide her a similar phone didn’t go down well with the woman hence she invited members of a local security outfit, Anioma Security Watch Network for intervention.

The vigilante members arrived at the scene in the compound and descended on the young man, requesting him to provide the missing phone.

The witness said several people pleaded with them but they insisted that he must provide the phone before they leave him.

The persistent beating continued until they realised that the situation had gone out of their control, so they stopped.

Narrating further, he said after a while they noticed that the motionless body of the deceased became cold and stiff, they immediately carried him to the office of the security group, Anioma Security Watch Network, at 17 Gbenoba Str, Agbor, where the aggrieved mob started damaging the patrol Hilux.

A quick intervention of the Nigerian Police Force and the Military calmed the situation as some police officers and military personnel were seen talking with the relation of the deceased, thereafter the lifeless body of the young man was taken in a police van in the company of relatives and friends to mortuary at Agbor Central Hospital.

A few hours after the tragic incident, the said Nokia torchlight phone was found with the woman’s son who went to pick it up.

The woman’s son claimed he didn’t want to interrupt the sleep of the young man when he entered his room to collect it, hence he took the phone and left.

In an interview, the deceased father said he pleaded with the woman to allow them to replace the phone but all his pleas fell on deaf ears. 

“I pleaded with the woman to allow us to replace her phone but she insisted it must be that her particular one or she’ll make that call,” the grieving father said.