The Rivers State Police Command has said it has got vital statements from witnesses which will hopefully help in the arrest of those who killed two prominent individuals on Sunday in Choba Community in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Nnamdi Omoni, stated this in an interview at the Police Headquarters on Moscow Road in Port-Harcourt on Tuesday.
DSP Omoni said: “Investigation is on. We have recorded vital statements from vital witnesses who have come to make witness statements to us and their statements are very critical in our investigation and hopefully, we are going to get to the root of the matter. The signs are clear that the perpetrators will be arrested”.
There was pandemonium in Choba Community in the early hours of Sunday following an attack in the area by unidentified gunmen.
It was gathered that the Chairman of Choba Community Development Committee, Mr. Lawrence Igwe and one Chief Orji Azu, were shot dead early that Sunday morning by unidentified gunmen who forcefully gained entrance into their homes.
It was further gathered the gunmen carried out the attacks in two separate operations that reportedly lasted over four hours.
It was said calls made by residents of the area to inform the police about the attacks did not get any results as police reportedly arrived very late.
But DSP Omoni in his reaction said: “I don’t know what they mean by ‘very late’. We can only respond as and when called upon and our response time is always between seven to ten minutes… all things being equal. For instance, if a crime is being committed in a place that is not easily accessible, it will take quite some time before we can navigate to the place. …But all we are saying is that it is unfortunate that what happened happened”.
Speaking on the murder of the two victims, Paramount Ruler of Choba Community, Eze Raymond Okocha, said the killings were no longer cult related saying the unidentified gunmen also tried to gain entrance into his compound.
Eze Okocha said: “The killings in Choba Community are no longer as a result of cultism. Dynamite was thrown at my gate by the gunmen in order to gain entrance. They killed my CDC Chairman and one of my chiefs. Some other persons sustained injuries. So, it is no longer a cult war”.
He appealed to the police to have a 24-hour security patrol in the area to prevent further attacks and killings by gunmen.
Record shows there had been other killings in Choba area in recent times with some of them purportedly carried out by cult gangs.
