Some suspected cultists have killed a policeman and a member of a vigilante group in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State on Monday night.
According to early reports, the shooting may be linked to an earlier incident involving the Administrator of the Ahoada East Local Government, Goodluck Ineanachor, who was attacked by unidentified individuals last Friday.
That earlier incident, which took place at the council headquarters, saw about 30 armed men storm the office, assault Ineanachor, seize his phone, and force him to sign a resignation letter. They also made away with several official documents.
Iheanachor is one of several council administrators appointed by the state’s Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), to manage the affairs of the 23 local councils in Rivers State.
Following the attack on him, police invited the council’s Chief Security Officer and Chief of Staff for questioning. They were accused of helping to organize the group that carried out the assault on the administrator.
New information has now revealed that a group of men, reportedly members of the Iceland cult group, returned to the area Monday night.
Riding on motorcycles, the group approached the office of the local vigilante group known as OSPAC — short for Onelga Security Peace Advisory Committee — located beside the Ahoada East Council Secretariat.
In a statement issued by the State Police Command spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, she noted that the cultists opened fire on OSPAC members.
One of their operatives, Ngozi Ipah, was shot and killed during the ambush. As the attackers fled the scene, they also killed a police officer, Corporal Francis Friday, who was stationed at the secretariat on special duty as part of the Special Intervention Squad.
Iringe-Koko confirmed that a police team, led by the local Divisional Police Officer, quickly arrived after receiving reports of the gunfire. However, the attackers had already escaped before officers could apprehend them.
She noted, “Both victims were rushed to the Ahoada General Hospital with multiple gunshot wounds but were pronounced dead on arrival. Their bodies have been deposited at the hospital morgue for autopsy.”
