Gunmen kill four in Rivers State

Unknown gunmen have shot dead four persons including a seventy four year man in Bonny island, Rivers State.

Scores of anti-riot policemen have been deployed from Port Harcourt to Bonny, to avert the reoccurrence of the violence that has heightened security concern in the community.

The caretaker committee chairman of Bonny Local Government Area, Simeon Hart, yesterday stated that yet to be identified gunmen had invaded the community at about 2:00am and went on a shooting spree that lasted till about 5:00am.

He explained at the end of the sporadic shootings, it was discovered that the gunmen had killed four innocent persons including, seventy four old year Mr.

Macaulay Pepple, who was the father of the Executive Director of the Rivers State Sustainable Development, Mr. Larry Pepple.

“Five persons were shot, four dead, while one is hospitalised. This heinous attacks from reliable source started between 2:00am and 5: 00am. Their corpses have been deposited at the mortuary in Bonny.”

“As we continue to mourn as a people and sympathised with the bereaved families, I therefore appeal to the citizens of Bonny to maintain law and order as the police and other security agencies are intensifying efforts in ensuring that the perpetrators of such dastardly and despicable act will be brought to face the wrath of the law” said Hart.

Rivers State Police Command Public Relations Office, Nnamdi Omoni, who confirmed the incident, said scores of policemen have been deployed to the area to beef up security and stem the reoccurrence of the dastardly incident.

“Yes, I can confirm the incident. It was unfortunate. Our men are on ground , we have mobilised adequately. The police mobile force is there” he said.

The police spokesperson explained that a thorough investigation to unravel those behind the killings has commenced. He also stated that the identify of the victims will be unveiled in course of the investigation.

And concerned about the growing insecurity in Rivers State, the presidential candidate of the Hope Democratic Party, Ambrose Owuru, has tasked the State government to tackle insecurity in the State.

He pointed out that this was not a time to politicise the insecurity challenge facing the State.