Police Move To Tame Cultists Rage In Rivers

L-R: Minister of State for Foreign Affairs 2, Sen. Musliu Obanikoro, Minister of Labour, Joel Ikenya; Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Kenneth Kobani and Minister of State for Niger Delta, Mrs Hauwa Lawan, taking oath of office as ministers of the Federal Republic before President Goodluck Jonathan, during the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja last Wednesday.

The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed that cultists were responsible for the shooting at Amadi-Ama and  Okrika water front in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area which left about eight persons dead and scores injured over the weekend.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Ahmad Muhammed who disclosed this while confirming the incident in a telephone interview, said that reports indicate that the two separate shooting incident were carried out by suspected cultists.
The police Spokes person told The Tide that there were shootings at a drinking bar located near Amadi-Ama round about as well as the Okrika waterfront, adding that investigations were ongoing to bring the perpetrators to book.
It would be recalled that on Friday night, at two different locations in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area of the state, unknown gunmen shot and killed eight persons while several others sustained different degrees of injuries.
It was gathered that at a popular bar near Amadi-Ama round about, five persons were killed and many injured when unknown gunmen stormed and shot sporadically at the place.
The Tide learnt that among the dead victims were a military officer and a lady even as their identities are not yet known.
The source, who spoke to The Tide on condition of anonymity said the incident occurred at about 11.30pm, adding that the heavy shelling at the drinking joint woke up residents of the area, who had gone to bed that night.
The source further stated that three unidentified lifeless bodies were kept outside the bar till Saturday morning while some expended bullets littered the entire premises, adding that the ever busy drinking joint became a mecca of sort as people trooped from far and near to have a glimpse of the victims and impact of the raid.
At the Prime Rose Estate, Okrika waterside, also in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area of the state, three persons were shot dead by unknown bandits, while another sustained serious injury.
An eye witness identified the victims as Ibieneye (a female kaikia (spirit seller), Ekaki and Maxwell while the injured victim was identified as Tekena.
According to the eye witness, the hoodlums stormed the area and walked directly to the woman’s drinking joint, and shot any body in sight.
Three of the victims reportedly died at the spot.
The source also told The Tide that members of a vigilante group in the area had complained that some boys who lived in the waterfront had confronted them, alleging that they have become a stumbling block to their business in the area.
The Tide gathered that the hoodlums came through the old NEPA waterfront to unleash the mayhem on their victims.