Barth Ndubuwah, Port Harcourt

The Rivers State Police Command has vowed to unravel the circumstances surrounding the recent killing in some local government areas  of the State, especially Emohua and Port Harcourt Local Government Areas.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Rivers State, DSP Nnamdi Omoni made the vow in an exclusive interview with Nigerian NewsDirect in Port Harcourt in response to the renewed  spate of killings in the State, believed to be carried out by suspected cult gangs in their quest to assert supremacy over their rival groups.

In the past two weeks,  over eight persons were  said to have lost their lives in the hands of these heartless hoodlums, with some beheaded by their assailants.

Speaking to our correspondent, the PPRO said “yes I can confirm to you that unknown gunmen invaded the palace of the paramount ruler of Elibrada in Emohua Local Government Area on Tuesday and shot dead the Paramount Ruler, HRH Augustine Amadi”.

“Before our men could get there the assailants had fled, so no arrest has been made yet.  We also learnt that another person was killed the previous night in the same community”.

“We have not ascertained the circumstances or motive behind the killings. Investigations into the killings have commenced as our men are stationed there to arrest perpetrators,” Omoni said.

The PPRO reiterated that the police was doing its best to contain the rise in crime rate in Rivers State.

“Police is doing its best to contain the situation. We cannot work  in isolation, the public should collaborate with the police by volunteering useful information that will lead to the arrest of the criminals. Police cannot be everywhere at the same time,” the PPRO said.

He assured  the public that his officers and men were ready and willing to confront the criminals headlong if only information will be volunteered.

He corrected the impression that crime can be stamped out completely, noting that there is no crime free society in the world, but that it could be reduced to a tolerable level.

“Our duty is to protect lives and property and the Commissioner of Police, Zaki Ahmed is doing every thing possible to curtail the menace in Rivers State”.

On the Diobu killings, the PPRO admitted that four persons were killed in the shootout involving suspected cult gangs and their rival groups as revealed by preliminary investigation.

According to him, a breakdown of the figures shows that one person was killed at Nanka, another at Emenike and two others at Gambia Streets, which included a woman hit by stray bullets.

Omoni also told Nigerian NewsDirect that  “a notorious cultist, known as Osama was shot dead during the melee at Gambia Street, in Diobu Port Harcourt, Rivers State on the same Tuesday night”.

The PPRO dismissed insinuations that the resurgence of crime in Diobu was as a result of the service withdrawal by the local vigilante group in the area, stressing that with or without the vigilante the police will always discharge its statutory duties.

Reacting to the claim that the police has not been able to burst the criminal gang that take delight in beheading their victims, the Police spokesman said “you can testify to the fact that we have arrested and paraded several suspects who confessed that the killed and beheaded their victims.  As far as I am concerned motive of carrying out any crime is nothing but criminal. So police will continue to clamp down on criminals no matter the nature or motive of operations”.