. Gov Wike orders security agencies to fish out killers
Onyedi Gabriel, Port Harcourt
About 70 gunmen have raided checkpoints along the busy Port Harcourt-Owerri Road in Rivers State, killing about eight security operatives.
The gunmen, who started their operations at about 11pm on Saturday attacked four checkpoints from Elele to Omagwa in Ikwerre Local Government Area, Rivers State.
Out of the eight operatives killed, three were said to be military personnel; three Customs officials and two policemen.
Some were reportedly beheaded while others were burnt beyond recognition.
A police situation report dated April 25, identified the gunmen as members of the proscribed Indigeneous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).
One of the attacked checkpoints located along Airport Road Omagwa, belonged to the Joint Task Force (JTF) and was manned by nine policemen and two soldiers.
It was gathered that two burnt corpses of security operatives were later recovered at the JTF checkpoint, which was scattered and burnt by the gunmen.
The bandits according to the report later invaded a checkpoint of the Nigeria Customs Service at Isiokpo killing three customs officials.
It was gathered that the hoodlums carted away the rifles of the security operatives and their patrol vans with sirens.
Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Nnamdi Omoni, confirmed the attacks on police checkpoints but failed to mention casualty figures.
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, condemned the attack and directed security agencies to arrest the gunmen, who attacked and killed their personnel along Omagwa/Isiokpo/Elele Owerri Road in Ikwerre LGA of the state.
The governor in a statement signed by his Special Assistant, Media, Kelvin Ebiri, strongly condemned the barbaric and dastardly attack on security personnel.
The governor said there was no justification for such a heinous and condemnable attack targeted against innocent security personnel on legitimate duty of protecting life and property in the state.
He said: “The Government of Rivers State is saddened by the unwarranted callous attack on security personnel. We offer our sympathies to the relatives of those who lost their lives in the attack.
Also, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Rivers State, has condemned the senseless killings of security operatives in the state at the weekend describing the attackers as evil-minded cowards.
The APC called on the Nyesom Wike-led administration to redouble its efforts to keep the people safe.
The APC Spokesperson, Chief Ogbonna Nwuke, in a statement in Port Harcourt, said that the Rivers people were shocked that such an operation by evil-minded persons could be carried out in their midst.
He said: “Those, who carried out these attacks are evil; they are cowards; and we must make sure that these evil-minded cowards are not allowed to threaten our peace.
“Our hearts go out to the families of these gallant soldiers and policemen who paid the supreme price that we may live.
“We sympathise with those they left behind and urge the authorities in Port Harcourt to ensure that the lives of these officers who died on the line of duty do not go in vain”.