RIVERS: Naked armed youths engage police in shootout

The Rivers State Police Command has arrested young men in a mass raid around the communities hosting the University of Port Harcourt hours after unclad armed youths in only white pants numbering up to 10 openly engaged Policemen from the Choba Division in a gun duel.

According to eyewitnesses, the armed men started shooting from SDA Junction to Rumuchakara killing one person.

The spokesman of Choba Youth Council, Chimelem Odungweru, who identified the deceased as Shadrack, an indigene of the community said:

“Unknown gunmen suspected to be cultist stormed the community around 8am today shot sporadically along the Choba Road before killing their target.

“We need serious intervention from security agencies because, these boys keep coming every day.”

Meanwhile on Tuesday, one person was shot dead at Agbonchia in Eleme Local Government area while a prominent politician, Sorle Deekea, was killed along with 6 others including the Paramount Ruler of Beere Community in Khana Local Government Area.

One person was also killed in a shootout between cultists and police officers at Igbo-Etche in Etche Local government area.

Read also: Governor El-Rufai warns Kaduna communities against reprisal attacks

Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Nnamdi Omoni, who confirmed the incidents to journalists said the rising cases of cult-related killings in the state stem from battle for supremacy among cult groups who had lost the patronage of their sponsors.

“These are boys who are no longer funded by their sponsors. We know them and their sponsors and we are after them.

“We are not happy that these things are happening. The command as today has a challenge of personnel. We have a lot on our hands; the elections have not ended, we are battling with kidnapping and them this.

“Our job would have been easy only if members of the public help us with information because these boys stay in the communities but how much can we achieve if community members keep this information to themselves.

“We are human beings and not spirit. We can’t be everywhere at the same time. When an incident happens instead of reporting to the police they will be posting it on Facebook.

“We need the people to help us with actionable information. That is we require,” Omoni said.

The Police Spokesman, however, assured that the command will intensify its operation against activities the cult groups.

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