Gunmen strike in Rivers, kill vigilante leader, 3 women

Suspected cult members have murdered the Zonal Commander of the Security Planning and Advisory Committee for Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, Ozomela Stephen Nwaocha, and three women in an attack along Oba Road in Omoku, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The attack reportedly took place on Monday evening when the vigilante commander was spending time with his sister and her friend close to his home.

According to reports, the attack left the community in panic as people began running to safety while those who had business began closing their businesses out of fear.

While there has not been any claims of responsibility for the attack, it is believed that the murder of the OSPAC commander may lead to a revival of the indiscriminate murders that had rocked the area before the establishment of the OSPAC.

Also, it is reported that several OSPAC commanders have been murdered recently, with fear being expressed that this may herald a recurrence of the “Don Wanie” days.

The Public Relations Officer of OSPAC in Rivers State, Comrade Nkem Godknows, confirmed that the gunmen killed the commander while he was spending time with his sister and her friend close to his house.

He said: “The incident happened a few minutes past 5 p.m. Our commander was with his sister and her friend, seated around his neighbourhood, when unknown gunmen approached and shot him dead.

“Three women died on the spot, while two other victims sustained gunshot wounds and are currently receiving treatment at the hospital. The police were immediately informed, and we reported the incident without delay.

“My appeal to the people of Omoku is to remain calm, be peaceful, and continue with their normal daily activities. Nobody should panic. By the grace of God, OSPAC, alongside other security agencies, will get to the root of this matter.

“I also appeal to the government and well-meaning individuals to come to the aid of OSPAC. We are not adequately taken care of. We are not paid, and we have no reliable source of income. We have little or no support or encouragement. I am calling on the general public to support OSPAC.”

The Police Public Relations Officer in Rivers State, ASP Agabe Blessing Kaborlo, who also confirmed the incident, assured that the perpetrators would be brought to justice and urged members of the public with useful information to assist the police investigation.

“The Rivers State Command is saddened by this incident, which has disturbed the relative peace being enjoyed in the state. The command condemns this act in its entirety and reiterates that the perpetrators will be brought to justice.

“The Rivers State Police Command seeks tangible information from members of the public that will assist us in our investigation,” she said.