Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Eight persons have been declared wanted by the Police in relation to the dastardly killing of not less than 15 persons in Mgboshimili-Rumueme community, a suburb of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital early Monday morning.
This is coming as the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, CP Zaki Ahmed, has assured that some persons have been apprehended just as crack anti-riot Policemen and detectives from Police headquarters detectives have been deployed to the community investigate the incident.
Facts are emerging that in the rampage some workers of a dredging company owned by a prominent paramount ruler in Rumueme and the house where 12 persons were massacred and burnt is also owned by the paramount ruler.
A visit to the community showed hopelessness, gloom and uncontrolled weeping as relations of the victims lament the state they suddenly found themselves where their safety is no more guaranteed.
A woman said:”I was called that my brother was one of those killed and burnt inside the house they were living. My brother and I were together in church on Sunday little did I know that he would be shot and his body will be among those burnt”.
On his part, Mr. Livingstone Wechie, Executive Director Integrity Group and human rights activist in his face book page lamented the continuous bloodletting in the community.
In his post titled:”Save Rivers Community from Bloodletting recalls the previous deaths “Chief Minikwu Chukwu who was Secretary of Rumueme Council of Chiefs and Mr. Optimist Jaja who were both shot dead while the community was gathering for a routine meeting on May 6 2017 by 7.am in Mgbuosimini Community Mile 4 Rumueme where Nigerian Agip Oil Company Operational HQ is situated …Mr. Baridule Cletus Dunle was shot dead in 30th July 2017. Godspowwer Aligbo and Dickson Gogo jaja were shot on 4th of Oct 2017. Mr. Nasuru, junior and 13 others shot dead today in their houses by 3.am, one person burnt beyond recognition. Another building was burnt with persons inside.”
According to Wechie, “I believe all lives matter. This is one community among others in Rivers state subjected to these types of torturous attacks . Government and all relevant security agencies must wake up and take lives seriously. We can’t get used to mass killings of our people in Rivers state continuously”.
He warned if nothing is done, other communities may be enlisted and killers will be emboldened and it is failure on the part of government and its relevant agencies if its citizens continue to lose state protection.
Meanwhile, Rivers State Government has condemned the killing at Ngbuoshimini and has directed the police and security agencies to fish out the perpetrators of this heinous act at all cost.
This was contained in a statement issued today in Port Harcourt by the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr Emma Okah.
Charging the security agencies, the statement said, “The State Government is ready to spare nothing to support the security agencies get these killers irrespective of where they are found. Even in their holes, smoke them out from there and you should have no rest until we get to the end of the case, until we see justice” the statement added, noting that Rivers State will not give in to criminals and their sponsors.
According to the statement, the Rivers State Government commiserates with the families of the deceased and promise that this case will not be accepted.
“This sad incident underscores the stand of Rivers State Government that security and crime prevention is the concern of everybody and should not be politicized so that the state can grow. A moment like this calls for a collective effort on the part of all.”
The statement further added that this sudden breakdown of security architecture is a fallout of the activities of some politicians in Eleme Local Government Area at the weekend where over one thousand policemen and other security agents as well as some Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC) were redeployed from their duty posts.
The Rivers State Government calls on the public to stand up and cooperate with the police and other security agencies in their duties.
“Rivers State Government will continue to give the security agencies all the support they require to ensure the security of our state and reduce incidents of crime, he said, adding that to whom much is giving, much is expected.”
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