There was palpable tension in Omuwhoke Ngbume clan of Obele Community, Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers, as gunmen suspected cultists killed a member of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area Security Advisory Committee, popularly called OSPAC.
The gunmen after killing the vigilante, also shot four other persons who escaped with bullet wounds on Wednesday. One of the victims who gave his name simply as Eze told our correspondent that himself and three others escaped death by the whiskers, after the gunmen stormed their house and opened fire on them.
Eze said they narrowly survived as some bullets shot at them only caused serious injuries on them, adding that the assailants were acting on the orders of their leader identified as Chinanu Eleonu, popularly known as Naked.
He further disclosed that one of his counterparts who seemed to have been fatally wounded by the bullets was still missing.
Eze said: “My name is Eze, from Obele town in Emohua LGA. I and my brother were in the house when we heard the sound of bike in front of our house.
“I stood up I said let me go and check the people, I now saw Naked boys with guns, I told my brother to run, as we started running they began to shoot us, now they shot me, shot my brother, we are like four in number they shot. I have not seen one up till now.
“We are calling in the village if they have seen my brother, they said, they have not seen him.
“Naked is from Ibaa, he said he is security surveillance, I dont know. I am not a cultist.They said that we are giving information.That is the last thing I heard in the community before I left, I don’t know who I am giving information to.”
Meanwhile a former Councillor in Port Harcourt ward 17, Chigozie Woka, from Obele town whose house was destroyed by hoodlums last Sunday, accused the gang leader known as Naked of being responsible.
He said, “My name is Chigozie Woka, I served as a Councillor in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Obele town has been having crisis because of this young man called Naked.
“This young man is not from Obele, he is actually from Ibaa, he only comes to Obele to take refuge. He called me on phone to say I am working with the security agency to chase him out of Obelenand and I told him that I am not working with anybody because I don’t have any plans like that.
“On Sunday I was in Port Harcourt, when they called me that Naked has gone to my house with his OSPAC boys, this young man if he is called for profiling as an OSPAC personnel, he will not go, he went to my house they told me he scattered everywhere and put the house on fire.
“What is my crime, that I am working with security agencies and I want them to chase him out of obele. I have been fighting against this crime. I want Obele to be a peaceful land just like other community....Read Full Article [Click Here>]
“He made Obele his camp, of kidnapping, committing all sought of crimes in Obele. When this thing happen, the security agencies will not know who to hold because whenever they come, he will run into the bush.
“These are the things happening in Obele. After he scattered my house and put fire on it. I went to the Police in Rumuji, I have made an entry there.
“Today again I am surprised that they are calling me that he has gone to my place to shoot some people in my community that they are working with me and the Police. He shot four people, they can only see three that are looking for way to treat themselves, one I dont know if he is dead, they are calling me they cannot reach that one.”
In response, Achor Egberuwho, the Acting Youth Chairman of Omuobu village in Ibaa community who spoke on behalf of Chinanu Eleonu also known as Naked, denied the allegation, accusing Chigozie Woka of sponsporing cultists to attack and kill Naked.
Mr Egberuwho in a telephone interview said, “It is laughable that Chigozie Woka will stoop so low, Chigoze supported by his pay master led this group of rascals to Obele on Sunday morning if not for the grace of God, Chinanu Eleonu aka naked would have died, he barely survived.
“Chigozie has been boasting that Obele will know no peace except the CDC Chairman position is being given to him.
“It was Chigozie Woka who attacked Naked with his gang. We have being hearing that houses have been burnt in Obele, people have been shot. Naked is an OSPAC member, will an OSPAC kill fellow OSPAC. Do you know that Naked barely escaped on Sunday, Chigozie left his boys inside the bush they came out Monday evening to kill an OSPAC member as the other OSPAC men escaped.
“So the OSPAC are searching for the killers. No house has been razed down. We call on the public to go to Obele to see if any house was burnt and if any other person has been killed except the OSPAC member that was killed by Chigozie and his gang. Chinanu Eleonu did not destroy any house neither did he kill anybody.
“Chinanu Eleonu is a loving and peaceful fellow,he is working as surveillance and has stopped illegal oil bunkering in EMOLGA.He has stopped all forms of illegality including drug abuse.
“Just because he called this set of people to allow peace and rule of law,they said no.The OSPAC who was killed is from Obele.Rumuji Division is also aware of the killing of the OSPAC member.”
Reacting to the development, the Public Relations Officer for the Rivers State Police Command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the killing of an OSPAC member and destruction of the Councillor’s house
She however added that the Police wasn’t aware any shooting of four persons.
