Gunmen launched a deadly attack on the office of a vigilante outfit in Rivers State, the Onelga Security Peace and Advisory Committee (OSPAC), killing an operative of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) in the process.

The attack, which occurred around 9 p.m. on June 23 behind the Local Government Council Secretariat in Ahoada, Rivers State, triggered panic as the sound of gunfire forced many residents to flee indoors for safety.

The victim, identified as Corporal Friday Francis, an operative of the Special Intervention Squad, was said to have been caught in the crossfire and fatally shot near the secretariat.

Francis’s death has heightened fears about the worsening security situation in parts of the local government area.

The perpetrators, whose identities remain unknown, reportedly escaped before security forces arrived at the scene. Investigators believe the attack may be linked to an ongoing cult clash plaguing the area.

Reacting to the incident, Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, visited the scene on Tuesday and expressed deep concern over the loss of the SIS operative. While addressing officers, he charged the team to intensify efforts to apprehend those responsible for the deadly ambush.

“We must fish out the perpetrators, dismantle their networks, and stamp out the menace of cultism in this area. Anyone who has any information on how to get these cultists should inform the Command,” Adepoju says.

The Rivers Police Command has since increased patrols and surveillance across the Ahoada axis, urging residents to remain vigilant and promptly report any suspicious activity to the authorities.