Panic In Rivers State: Gunmen Kill 19, Including Naval Officer & Nursing Mother

Rivers State and senseless killings! Gunmen suspected to be cult members on Saturday killed 19 persons in Aluu community in Ikwerre area and Obite community in Etche council area of the State.

A naval officer was among those killed when members of two cult groups stormed the communities and went all out, engaging each other in a free-for-all show of brutality.

The gunmen, believed to be of Greenlanders cult, invaded Aluu in reprisal against a rival group, Icelanders and killed 15 persons, including a nursing mother.

A naval personnel, who was among the Joint Task Force team that went to the area to bring the situation under control, was hit by a bullet from the cultists. Many others were injured during the attack in Aluu community.

It was gathered that the cult members also killed some innocent persons and left several others injured.

A community source who witnessed the shootings, told Punch that some of the cult members also stormed a community known as Etche and killed four persons.

It was learnt that the gunmen also invaded a superstore in Omuoda village, opened fire and killed many.

The bandits later advanced to Omuahunwo village and killed four of their victims who were suspected to be rival cultists.

The assailants were said to have carried out the coordinated attacked based on information that some members of the Icelanders were taking refuge in Aluu. The incident left the residents of the area in anxiety as some people in the affected communities fled their homes.

A source who spoke anonymously said, “Some cult members believed to be members of Greenlanders came to the community and killed some people. The boys operated in a very terrible manner. They went to a supermarket where people usually go to buy something and opened fire on over six people.

“Some people narrowly escaped with gun wounds. We do not know the cause of the killings, although we suspected that it is a cult war.’’

A source in Obite said, “At the moment, people are running away and nobody knows who is who. The cult boys entered the community by 8am and started shooting the people they described as their enemies.

“The Icelanders boys were the ones that shot the Degbam boys, but the fear now is that the Degbam group has written a letter to the community, asking the residents to flee because they are going to revenge.’’

Strangely, Rivers state Assistant Police PRO, Mrs Grace Iringe-Koko, said she had not been briefed.