Sequel to the gruesome murder of the traditional ruler of Pue Community of Ogoni, Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, Chief Mbari over the weekend, the community is said to have been deserted.
The community is also said to have been taken over by the Police and men and officers of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) in search of the whereabouts of the killers of the royal father and four other members of the community including a pregnant woman.
There are however, conflicting reports about the immediate and remote cause of the incident.
One version of the incident is centred on a land dispute between two claimants who took their case to the deceased traditional ruler in search of justice.
After hearing the case and all the cross examination, judgement was said to have been given in favour of one of the litigants as the rightful owner of the disputed land.
Unsatisfied and aggrieved over the judgement, the aggrieved reportedly came back to the traditional ruler two days later but with an ulterior motive to kill him and later went ahead to murder the other claimant, the two witnesses and a pregnant wife of one of the witnesses. The fifth person is said to be in critical condition in an undisclosed hospital.
Another version of the story from yet another source, has it that the onslaught was a reprisal attack. According to the source, a certain woman in the community had been earlier crushed to death by a truck. Weeks after, the relations allegedly sought and were told her death was mysterious and caused by all the deceased including the traditional ruler.
Consequently, they mobilized and attacked to avenge on all those that allegedly had a hand in the death of the motor accident victim. Both versions of the story are unconfirmed.
Meanwhile, the authorities of Khana Local Government Council said the situation is under control and denied any renewed killings in the community or any other part of the Local government area.
The Director of press to the council chairman, Christian Saro Ganale who spoke on behalf of his boss, Hon Lahteh Loolo said the chairman will issue a statement on the issue very soon.
Efforts to reach the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) proved abortive as the phone calls put across to him for confirmation were not picked neither did he reply to the text messages also sent to him on same issue.
