A confrontation between officers of the Nigeria Police Force and personnel of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), Taraba State Command, occurred on Thursday night at Owoniyi Motor Park, Roadblock, Jalingo, following a dispute over an unpaid food bill.  

Speaking to journalists, the VGN State Operations Commandant, Muniru Bello Abubakar, explained that the vigilante team maintains an operational post at the motor park to mediate disputes and maintain order.  

According to Abubakar, the incident began when a food vendor approached the VGN office, alleging that a customer had refused to pay after eating. In an effort to resolve the matter amicably, the vigilante officers instructed the woman to bring the individual for questioning. However, she later returned, claiming the man had insulted her.  

“A vigilante officer attempted to intervene, but the individual reacted aggressively, grabbing the officer’s collar. The situation quickly escalated when the man called on his friends, attempting to confront our office,” Abubakar recounted.  

To prevent further disturbance, the VGN team reported the situation to their State Commandant, who advised them to handle the matter professionally. The suspect was later identified, taken into custody, and moved to the vigilante office.  

Shortly after, police officers arrived at the scene and, after assessing the situation, arrested a vigilante member. They reportedly insisted that the vigilante personnel would only be released if the detained suspect was also freed.  

“The incident took a dramatic turn as both security agencies, tasked with ensuring public safety, found themselves in a standoff over the matter,” Abubakar stated.  

Following the intervention of a senior police officer, the detained vigilante member was released. However, as the police officers were leaving the scene in their patrol vehicle, shots were reportedly fired, with one bullet grazing a vigilante personnel’s foot.  

At the time of filing this report, the suspect who initially refused to pay for the meal had been handed over to the police for further action.  

Expressing concern over the development, Abubakar emphasized the need for improved cooperation between security agencies, stressing that such conflicts could undermine collective efforts to maintain peace and security.