On Monday night, suspected cultists unleashed violence in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State, resulting in the death of a policeman and a vigilante group member. The attack is believed to be a retaliatory act following the brutal assault on the Local Government Administrator, Goodluck Iheanachor, which took place last Friday.
Reports indicate that approximately 30 armed hoodlums invaded the council premises last week, physically assaulting Iheanachor, seizing official documents, confiscating his phone, and forcing him to sign a resignation letter under duress. Iheanachor serves as one of the 23 Local Government Administrators appointed by Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), the Sole Administrator of Rivers State.
Following the attack on Iheanachor, the police summoned the Chief Security Officer and the Council Chief of Staff of the local government for questioning, suspecting their involvement in orchestrating the assault.
The two security personnel killed on Monday night were assigned to protect the council secretariat in the wake of the previous violence. According to a statement by Rivers State Police Command spokesperson Grace Iringe-Koko, members of the notorious cult group Iceland stormed the office of the vigilante outfit OSPAC (Onelga Security Peace Advisory Committee) and opened fire.
The statement reads, “Armed assailants, led by two men, Umegbewe Kingsley a.k.a. ‘Gutam’ and one Opaka (surname unknown), believed to be leaders of the Iceland cult group, stormed the OSPAC office beside the Ahoada East Council Secretariat and opened fire on its operatives. During the assault, OSPAC operative, Ngozi Ipah was shot.”
In addition to the vigilante member, Corporal Francis Friday, a police officer on special duty at the secretariat, was fatally shot while the attackers fled the scene. Police patrol teams responded promptly but were unable to apprehend the suspects.
The victims were taken to Ahoada General Hospital but succumbed to their injuries. Their bodies remain at the hospital morgue for autopsy procedures. The police have condemned the attack and are investigating to bring the culprits to justice.