Violence has erupted in Obele Community in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers, as a member of ONELGA Security Advisory Committee (OSPAC) was killed by suspected cultists and four other persons reportedly shot in Omuwhoke Ngbume village, Obele on Wednesday.
One of the persons shot, who gave his name as Eze said the gunmen shot him and three other persons when they attempted to run, after the gunmen stormed their village on motorcycles.
Eze identified one of the gunmen popularly known as Naked, as the person that shot him and three other persons.
He narrated: “I now saw Naked with a gun; I told my brother to run. As we started running, they (gunmen) began to shoot at us.
“They shot me, shot my brother. We were four in number that they shot. I have not seen one up till now.”
According to Eze, nobody has seen the other two persons shot alongside him and his brother, adding that Naked accused him and others who escaped death by the whiskers, of being informants to security agencies.
Describing the prime suspect (Naked), Eze said: “Naked is from Ibaa, he said in security surveillance. I don’t know. I am not a cultist.They said that we are giving information.That is the last thing I heard in the community before I left, I don’t know whom I am giving information to.”
Meanwhile a former councillor in Port Harcourt ward 17, Chigozie Woka, a native of Obele whose house was attacked and destroyed by gunmen last Sunday, has also accused the same Naked of being responsible for the crisis in the Obele community.
According to Woka, the suspect hails from Ibaa, a neighbouring community, but is taking refuge in Obele community.
The former ward councillor wondered what his offence was that would warrant Naked to set his building ablaze.
“I wonder what my crime is; he (Naked) said that I am working with security agencies, that I want them (security) to chase him out of Obele.
“I have been fighting against crime in this community. I want Obele to be a peaceful land just like other communities,” Woka protested, alleging: “He (Naked) made Obele his camp – kidnapping, committing all sorts of crime in Obele. When this thing (crime) happens, the security agencies will not know whom to hold because whenever they come, he will run into the bush.
“These are the things happening in Obele. After he scattered my house and set fire to my house, I had to go to the Police in Rumuji, where I made entry.”
“Today, I am surprised that they are calling me that he has gone to my place to shoot some people, that they are working with me and the Police to chase him out of Obele,” Woka stressed.
In a swift reaction, Achor Egberuwho, acting youth chairman of Omuobu village in Ibaa, who spoke on behalf of Naked denied the allegation, and accused the councillor of sponsoring cultists to attack and kill him (Naked).
Egberuwho stated: “The OSPAC operatives are searching for the killers. No house has been razed. We call on the public to go to the Obele community and check if any house was burnt and if any other person has been killed except the OSPAC member that was killed by Chigozie and his gang. Naked did not destroy any house nor did he kill anybody.
“Just because he (Naked) called this set of people to allow peace and rule of law, they said no.The OSPAC who was killed is from Obele. Rumuji Division is also aware of the killing of the OSPAC member.”
Spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police (SP), has confirmed the killing of an OSPAC member and destruction of the councillor’s house to journalists.
Iringe-Koko, however, could not confirm the shooting of four persons.
