Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A 16‑year‑old prospective undergraduate, Divine Efe, was shot and seriously wounded by an operative of a local anti‑cult security outfit in Oghara, Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State, on Sunday, May 17, 2026, in what the teenager’s family and eyewitnesses have described as an unprovoked attack during a roadside extortion attempt. The incident occurred around 10:30 pm at the Western Delta Junction in Ogharefe, where a combined team of armed operatives had mounted a stop‑and‑search operation.
According to a detailed account provided by the victim’s father, Dr. Victor Williams Efe of Delta Southern University, his son was travelling in a Sienna vehicle with two friends from Oghara to a neighbouring community to purchase food items when the vehicle was flagged down. The operatives ordered all occupants to disembark and conducted a thorough search of the vehicle and their belongings. Dr. Efe insisted that nothing incriminating was found on the passengers or inside the car. “From what my son told me and what eyewitnesses confirmed, the anti‑cult men searched the vehicle and found no drugs or incriminating materials,” he told newsmen after the attack.
The situation, however, took a dangerous turn when the operatives demanded to inspect the teenagers’ mobile phones. When the boys refused, one of the armed men allegedly ordered them to “do transfer”—a local slang for an illegal electronic money transfer meant to extort cash from the victims. Dr. Efe said his son explained that they had no money beyond the little they intended to use to buy food and pleaded with the operatives to let them go. According to the father, the request was rejected, and the young men were threatened with being taken to a police station before the confrontation escalated into physical violence.
Dr. Efe alleged that the operatives began beating the three boys with cutlasses and other dangerous weapons. It was during this assault, he said, that one of the guns held by an operative accidentally discharged. “The bullets spread and hit my son on the leg. He narrowly escaped being shot in the face,” the father recounted. The injured teenager was rushed to a hospital where doctors confirmed a gunshot wound to his leg. He almost lost one of his toes as a result of the injury. Medical personnel subsequently requested a deposit of N400,000 to facilitate specialist care and observation by an orthopaedic surgeon, who placed him on observation to determine whether the toe would respond to treatment or require amputation.
Speaking from his hospital bed, Divine Efe described the incident as traumatic and completely unprovoked. “I was not involved in any crime or violence. They searched us and the vehicle, and nothing incriminating was found. They approached us aggressively, and despite our efforts to remain calm, they suddenly became violent. I even offered to buy fuel for them to avoid trouble,” he told reporters. “Before I knew what was happening, they started beating my friend mercilessly. Then one of them pulled out a gun and fired. The bullet struck my leg and my whole world changed,” he added.
The teenager’s father has since called on the Divisional Police Officer in Oghara, the Ovie of Oghara, political leaders and other stakeholders to intervene and prevent such attacks from recurring. He expressed deep concern over the conduct of local security outfits, alleging that extortion and brutality by “untrained personnel whose intention is extortion rather than protection” had become rampant.
As of the time of this report, the Delta State Police Command had not issued a direct statement regarding the shooting incident involving the anti‑cult operative. However, in separate remarks recorded in the days following the event, Commissioner of Police Yemi Oyeniyi reiterated the need for professionalism and respect for human rights among police personnel, urging officers to embrace lawful, accountable and people‑oriented policing to sustain public confidence in the force. No arrest has been announced, and the identity of the operative who allegedly fired the shot has not been disclosed. The investigation is ongoing.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments