Two killed in Rivers community shooting

A sporadic shooting in the Abuloma community of Port Harcourt Local Government Area (LGA), Rivers State, has allegedly killed two persons and injured many.

It was gathered that aggrieved youths, suspected to be members of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), engaged an opposing camp in a gun duel following a scheduled election of the group in the area.

An 18-seater bus, apparently conveying members of the youth group to the meeting point, was burnt beyond recognition, while bloodstains dotted the White House junction leading to the jetty.

The shooting, which occurred on Saturday afternoon, caused pandemonium as passersby scrambled for safety.

An eyewitness narrated that a group of boys wearing white and black shirts with white scarves stormed the area and began shooting sporadically.

The witness said, “Some persons were caught in the crossfire and were rushed to the hospital for immediate medical intervention due to the various degrees of gunshot injuries they sustained in the process.”

Another eyewitness, who also declined to be identified, said the shooting “may be as a result of a disagreement among the IYC members from the central zone who were holding their election in the area.”

Reacting to the incident, the Rivers State Police Command, in a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Grace Iringe-Koko, said the Commissioner of Police, Tunji Disu, was aware of “the senseless and sporadic shooting at Abuloma area in the Port Harcourt City Local Government Area of the State, where the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Central Zone was conducting its elections.”

The Police spokesperson said, “Consequently, the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State, has swiftly dispatched Tactical Teams to the venue, but before the arrival of the Police, the perpetrators had fled into hiding.”

The Commissioner of Police has given marching orders to track down the perpetrators and bring them to face the full wrath of the law.

The Command, however, advised all law-abiding citizens to go about their lawful businesses as normalcy has returned, and to report any suspicious movement to the Police for appropriate action.