The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the killing of a member of a local vigilante group, Osite Wosu, and a youth, Gift Augustine, by gunmen in separate attacks in Elibrada Community in Emuoha Local Government Area of the State.
The Command’s spokesperson, Grace Iringe-koko, who disclosed this in Port Harcourt, also said four suspects in connection with the killings have been arrested.
One of the suspects and a member of a vigilante known as the Emuoha Local Government Vigilante Service (EMOLVICE), Godknows Wakama, was arrested while the three other suspects were nabbed for their alleged involvement in the killing of Wosu.
The Tide gathered that Wakama, a member of EMOLVICE, had reportedly fired a shot when members of the outfit went to the community in search of a cult gang that killed one of their members, as the bullet hit Augustine.
The PPRO told our correspondent via telephone that Wakama has been transferred to the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department for a proper investigation into the killing.
Iringe-Koko said, “Currently the suspect has been arrested and transferred to the state CID for discreet investigation.
“The Command sympathises with the family of the bereaved and we advise that they remain law abiding and not to go against the law.
“They should work with the police division closer to them,” she stated.
On the death of Wosu, she said, “Three persons have been arrested. Their arrest was due to discreet investigation and the proactive posture of the command.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Commander of EMOLVICE, Zone 2, Emeke Woris, who confirmed Wosu’s death, said he was shot dead by a suspected cultist, while sitting with an old woman in the community.
Woris denied claims that his men shot a youth from the community, saying the activities of the miscreants in the area were unbecoming.
He said, “What happened yesterday, we don’t know who is innocent and who is not innocent in Elibrada because of what is happening.
“We are trying to see that every person, apart from the chiefs, who we don’t even know, will say is who not a cultist in Elibrada.
“The chiefs and elders in Elibrada are supposed to stop what is happening in Elibrada. What happened was that because I was not there, they said they were going to look for the cultist.
“The people that killed our soldier (member), in the process, they said they saw the boy jumping the fence. As he was jumping the fence, the other guy was coming from the other angle, and what he did was, he started dragging the gun with him.
“They said the gun exploded immediately. That was the story I heard yesterday because I wasn’t with them there.”
Wori, however, expressed worry that nobody was talking of the dead member, who, he said, was committed to securing the community.
“A man who has dedicated his life to make peace in Elibrada Community to fight cultism and terrorism, they saw him sitting with an elderly woman, and they shot him at Elibrada on Saturday at 4 pm.
“Up till now I am talking with you, no member of Elibrada has gone on air to say what these boys are doing is wrong. And people are posting rubbish on Facebook.
“He (Wosu) is a native of Elibrada and the Chief Security Officer of Elibrada who has been helping the police to make sure there is peace in Elibrada, and they killed him,” Wori stated.