Panic gripped Bori, headquarters of Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, on Sunday evening after unidentified gunmen shot dead a former Chief Security Officer of the council, Mr. Letam Kine.

Kine was reportedly attacked at about 6 p.m. along Polytechnic Road, Bori, in an incident that sent residents, motorists and passers-by fleeing for safety.

An eyewitness account had it that the gunmen opened fire on Kine before fleeing the area immediately after the attack.

The shooting reportedly created confusion in the area, with shop owners said to have hurriedly closed their businesses as residents sought safety. Security operatives arrived at the scene shortly after the assailants had escaped.

The motive for the killing was not immediately known, while the identities of the attackers remained unknown as of press time.

Reacting to the incident, the Chairman of Khana Local Government Area, Dr. Thomas Bariere, condemned the killing, describing it as a “senseless act of violence.”

In a statement issued on Sunday by his Director of Press and Public Communications, Barry Neemana, Bariere described Kine’s murder as heartbreaking and stressed that such criminality had no place in a law-abiding society.

The chairman expressed concern that the killing occurred barely weeks after the death of Mr. Clement Deegbara J. of Kpong Community.

According to him, the recurrence of such attacks could indicate the activities of armed criminal gangs allegedly bent on undermining peace and security across the local government area.

Bariere called on security agencies to intensify operations throughout Khana and ensure that those responsible for the killings were arrested and prosecuted.

He also appealed to residents to remain calm and vigilant, urging them to provide security agencies with timely and credible information that could assist investigations and prevent further attacks.

The council chairman extended his condolences to the family of the deceased, praying that God would grant them the strength and courage to cope with the loss.

He further reaffirmed that the protection of lives and property remained a priority of his administration.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the commencement of an investigation into the killing.

The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Blessing Agabe, said the body of the deceased had been deposited in a mortuary for preservation and autopsy.

Agabe said the Command had commenced a full-scale investigation aimed at identifying and apprehending the perpetrators and bringing them to justice.

The Police, however, disclosed that the family of the deceased had yet to lodge a formal complaint concerning the incident.

The Command urged the family to do so, noting that a formal complaint would assist the investigation and facilitate the prompt administration of justice.

The Police Command assured the public that it remained committed to identifying, arresting and prosecuting everyone found to be connected with the incident in accordance with the law.