PDP chair claims losing six persons to Rivers massacre

The Rivers State chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Felix Obuah, has claimed losing his in-law, Augustine Ordu, three children and two other relations to the January 1, 2018 attack on Omoku community.

He described the killing in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Council as barbaric, unfortunate, callous and a monumental loss to the state.

The party chair said the incident was “barbarism displayed by callous killers, who gunned down defenceless people who were returning from church.”

Obuah called on security agents to ensure that the perpetrators of the heinous crime were promptly apprehended and brought to justice.

His words: “This is sacrilegious, totally unacceptable. We can’t allow this to happen in Omoku. The security agents should ensure that the perpetrators of this heinous crime are promptly apprehended and brought to justice,” he stated

He commended the governor for his timely intervention which helped restore sanity in the area, just as he condoled with families of the deceased.

However, reactions have begun to trail the N200 million reward made by Governor Nyesom Wike to anyone with useful information to the arrest of the perpetrators of the attack where 21 persons were killed.

According to the vigilance group in Diobu, Port Harcourt City Local Government Area yesterday, the move was a welcome development, as it would encourage the people to fish out those behind the dastardly act.

The leader of the group, Prince Amakri, noted that the bounty would encourage vigilance bodies in the community to swiftly swing into action and come up with something very tangible in good time.

He called on the governor to recognise and assist vigilance groups in the state, noting that they had averted several criminal acts.

To a security expert, Adewale Banjoko, the money would motivate the people to unleash information.

The Principal Consultant of Gobal Fraud and Forensics Consultants Limited disclosed that due to the figure involved, people would come with different information on the issue, advising the state government to engage experts in analysing whatever information that would be gathered at the end of the day.

Banjoko counseled government to ensure that the culprits were not only arrested but also prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others.