Crossover night tragedy: 17 feared killed in Rivers

The New Year started on a sad note in Rivers State when unknown gunmen reportedly shot and killed 17 persons in an early morning attack at Omoku, the headquarters of the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of the state.

Among the dead was a son of the paramount ruler of Ogbogburu in Egiland where the incident took place.

The Caretaker Committee chairman of the local government area, Ossy Olisa, who confirmed the attack said that six persons were injured in the incident and were receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.

He condemned the killing, vowing to ensure that the local government which became notorious with violent crimes in 2017 becomes crime-free.

The paramount ruler, Eze S. U. Emerizi, told journalists that his son who was returning from a Crossover night service in Omoku with his friends when he was shot along Kirigani road in Omoku Town, adding that his murdered son had never been involved in cultism.

Eze Emerizi described the killing on the first day of the year as shocking.

The Rivers State police command confirmed the shooting but declared that the number of victims had not been ascertained.

The state command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Omoni Nnamdi, said that investigation had commenced to ascertain the actual number of persons killed in the attack, adding that it was still not clear if the attack was cult related.

A lawmaker representing the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni constituency 1 in the State House of Assembly, Christian Ahiakwo, condemned the attack, describing the act as barbaric.

He said that security agencies and officials of internal security in the local government had already swung into action to handle the matter.

He said; “it was very barbaric I must say. I want to say they will not have any hiding place. The security agencies are on top of the situation.

He advised youths of the area to desist from such acts saying: “there is need for everyone to drop whatever anger he has. Whatever the issue is, we can discuss. If the issues are genuine, they should come to the discussion table so that we can thrash it out once and for all.”