…Police Arrest One Suspect
By Eric Moore
ABOUT 14 people were reportedly wounded as a suspected assailant opened fire at a crowd which occurred at Elele roundabout in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State on Wednesday.
In a viral video, some wounded youths (male) with blood stains were seen lying on hospital beds and some sitting down being attended to by medical personnel.
A former councillor, Ikwerre Local Government Area, Odinaka Nwokoro, who spoke in the video, said some of the youths were shot at the stomach and legs allegedly by Mr. Iheanyi Nwosa, the commander of OSPAC vigilance group.
Nwokoro further alleged that 14 Elele indigenes sustained bullet wounds from the attack, adding that the victims were rushed to different hospitals for treatment.
He called on the security agencies to arrest the OSPAC command for prosecution.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command has confirmed that there was a violent attack at Elele Roundabout on Wednesday morning.
State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Grace Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police (SP), in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, said the victims were attacked by a suspected assailant at an unlawful gathering in Elele.
The PPRO disclosed that four persons were injured at press time, adding that a suspect was arrested and weapon recovered from him.
She stated: ” Acting on credible intelligence regarding the unlawful assembly of suspected hoodlums at the location, a patrol team from Elele Division, led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), swiftly mobilized to the scene to restore order.
“During an attempt to address the crowd, an unidentified assailant, hiding within the vicinity, opened fire resulting in multiple injuries. As at press time, the number of those injured stood at four.
“The armed hoodlums fled the scene immediately, but one of them was apprehended, and a single-barrel gun was recovered from him. The injured victims were promptly rushed to various hospitals in Elele for medical attention.
“A manhunt is currently underway for the fleeing suspects, some of whom have been identified as members of the local vigilante group known as OSPAC.
“The arrested suspect, along with the recovered firearm, will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), for further investigation.”
However, the Command has assured members of the public that all perpetrators involved in the criminal act would be apprehended and brought to justice.
“The Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command, CP Olugbenga A. Adepoju, calls on residents to remain calm and provide any useful information that may assist in the ongoing investigation. The Command remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of all citizens.”