A Protocol Officer in Rivers State Government House, Justice Azunda has reportedly been shot and kidnapped in Port Harcourt.

Government House sources told Kristina Reports that Azunda worked directly with the Chief of Staff to immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Emeka Woke during the past administration.

The yet-to-be-identified gunmen invaded Isiodu Community in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State on Sunday, June 4, 2023, where Azunda and others were in a meeting, shot sporadically in a commando style before whisking him away to an undisclosed location.

Kristina Reports gathered that the unknown gunmen were led by Onuigwe Wordi, a notorious cultist who has been terrorizing a section of the East-West Road around Emohua LGA.

Confirming the incident, Chairman of Emohua LGA, Dr. Chidi Lloyd, announced an increase on the bounty he initially placed on Wordi to N2 million for anyone who volunteers information leading to his arrest.

The distraught Chairman also ordered an immediate ban on the operations of commercial motorcycles, popularly known as Okada, in the area, charging members of a local vigilante group called Emohua Local Government Vigilante Service to assist the security agencies and ensure the victim’s early release.

“In what I describe as a very sad incident yesterday (Sunday) afternoon. Wordi and his gang invaded Isiodu Community where Justice Azunda and some other persons were holding a meeting and they shot sporadically into the meeting.”

“In the ensuing melee, Mr. Justice Azunda was abducted.

“Members of the Emuoha Vigilante are up and doing in recent times. They have been in the bush. I have charged them once again to ensure that Mr. Justice Azunda is released unscathed.”

“I also want to use this opportunity to say that the bounty on Wordi has been increased from N1 million to N2 million on anybody who has any useful information on the whereabouts of Wordi.”

“I want to painfully announce the ban on the movement of motorcycles in the local government from 6pm to 6am. The ban will come into force from June 5, 2023. I know the hardship that this will cause on the people.”

Meanwhile there are concerns amongst community members over the safety of the abductee as it was yet unclear if Azunda died from the gunshot injury before he was dragged away.

Though the Rivers State Police Command was yet to make a statement on the attack, Police operatives from the Rumuwoji Police Division have already visited Isiodu Community as well as adjoining communities in the area.