Post-election violence rages in Rivers

By Dan Abia Snr Correspondent P/H

No fewer than eleven persons, including a former Local Government Area chairman and six members of his family, have been killed by unidentified gunmen who invaded Obrikom and Obor communities in Rivers State as post-election violence rages in the state.

It was gathered that the former chairman of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of the State, simply identified as Christopher, and six members of his family, were on Friday night, murdered by unknown persons, when armed bandits invaded Obrikom/Obor communities in the Local Government Area.

Two persons were said to have been wounded in the incident, as gunmen went on shooting spree at about 7:30 pm in the area. It was gathered that the attack was politically motivated.

Meanwhile, a dusk to dawn curfew had been declared by the ONELGA boss.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmad Muhammad, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) confirmed the incident in Port Harcourt on Saturday.

Muhammad, however, confirmed that no traditional ruler was killed in the attack as earlier rumoured by some persons and could not confirm the identities of the deceased.

Nonetheless, he pointed out that the house of an All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Assembly candidate in the area, Vincent Ogbagu, was set ablaze by the rampaging gunmen.

“It was at about 19:30 hours of yesterday when some unknown armed men invaded Obrikim/Obor communities and went on shooting spree, killing nine, injuring two persons and set ablaze the house of Vincent Ogbagu, an APC House of Assembly candidate. No traditional ruler was among the victims”, he said.

The PPRO stated that the Command had commenced a manhunt for the bandits and appealed to the members of the public to assist in making available credible information to the police, to apprehend the fleeing the culprits.

In a similar development, two persons were allegedly killed by armed men over a land dispute in Aluu community in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state thereby sparking off a renewed war of the Aluu-4 from the University of Port Harcourt killed by some hoodlums