Community marches with corpse of murdered chief to police station

THERE was a drama on Saturday as the people of Barako community in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State, on Saturday, stormed the state police command with the corpse of their slain leader, Chief Levi Ndorbu Korgbara.

The community took the action in protest against an increasing spate of killing of their people by its neighbours, allegedly with the collaboration of the police in the area.

The late Korgbara was killed on Friday by unknown gunmen on his way to the Divisional Police Headquarters in Kpor to honour an alleged invitation by the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the division.

The late chief who, until his murder, was the chairman of the Council of Traditional Rulers of Barako, was said to have been invited for a peace talk with the chiefs from a warring community, Nwebiara.

His killing sparked tension in the community, resulting in the community taking the remains of the chief to the police headquarters in the state.

On arrival at the police command, some police officers present advised the protesting community members to return to their divisional police headquarters and obtain a police report, and to deposit the corpse in a mortuary.

Speaking at the police headquarters, Mr Kimanyieke Kesiop, one of the community leaders that accompanied the corpse, said the community was not happy with the involvement of police in the situation.

When contacted, the state police image-maker, DSP Nnamdi Omoni, described the death as mysterious, but said it was not possible that a DPO would connive with some people to kill.