Gunmen murder vigilante member in Rivers

Unidentified gunmen on Friday gunned down a member of a vigilante group in Omoku town, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The vigilante member, Mr. Nodi Nwachukwu Osam, according to a community source who spoke on condition of anonymity was killed while on duty.

The source said the victim was attacked and killed by the yet to be identified gunmen at about 1:00p.m along Palace Road, Omoku town.

Osam, a 27-year old man was until his gruesome murder the Provost Marshall to the commander of the operating vigilante team in the area.

The source told The Nation that the bandits opened fire at the vigilante boys who were on patrol in the area.

He disclosed that the vigilante men could not respond to the attack from the hoodlums, adding that they were not equipped properly to counter the superior force of the assailants.

The source said, “The vigilante men were on patrol when cultists opened fire on them. They killed one of the vigilante members. His name is Nodi Nwachukwu Osam. The other of his members escaped because the guns they had were not good enough to face the hoodlums.

“They killed him around Palace road. He was dressed in the vigilante uniform and wearing his identity card when he died.”

Condemning the attack, the vigilante Commander, Mr. Adah Nwachukwu, said the killing of one of his men restated his commitment in fighting crime in the area.

Nwachukwu appealed to state government and good spirited individuals to help in providing security facilities to the group in order to face invaders.

He begged that the government to equip the force with patrol van, and other logistics to enable them carry out operations at ease.

Nwachukwu stated that over 20 of his boys had been killed by hoodlums terrorizing the LGA within the period.

“The cultists have been attacking us since they know that we want to restore peace and sanity in this area. They have killed over 20 of by men. I am calling on the state government to provide help to us. We want them to equip us so that we can face these boys that are terrorizing our communities.”

Meanwhile, the immediate passed Caretaker Chairman of ONELGA, Prince Isaac Umejuru has described the killing of the vigilante member as unwarranted attack.

Umejuru lamented the resurfacing security challenges in Omoku, stressing that the perpetrators of the dastardly act would never go unpunished.

At press time, the Public Relations Officer of Rivers State Police Command, Mr. Nnamdi Omoni said he was not aware.

Source:The Nation