Suspected cultists on Monday killed two persons in Odiokwu junction in Ula-Ehuda, Igbu Akoh-Kingdon in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State.
This came barely 24 hours after five persons were killed in Edeoha Community in Upata kingdom, also in Ahoada East LGA.
Speaking to newsmen, the Public Relations Officer of Igbu-Akoh kingdom, Hector Chinem, said residents had observed movement of some persons dressed in coverall and military gear on Sunday evening, a development which he said caused panic.
Chinem further said the mission of the invaders was not known only for the natives to wake up on Monday morning to see the dead bodies of two youths riddled with bullets.
He expressed regret over the latest incident which came on the heels of a similar attack which claimed five lives in the Edeoha community the previous day.
Chinem called on the state Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Mustapha, to as a matter of urgency strengthen the security of the area as the remnants of cult groups had invaded the communities.
He stated, “Early this morning, we woke up only to see two able-bodied youths gunned down and we don’t know the people. As I speak to you, it has been about 24 hours since five persons were killed in Edeoha Community in Upata kingdom.”
Asked how it happened, he said, “Early this morning (Monday), we saw a group of youths with blue coverall and Army raincoat. We don’t know if it was the same people who invaded the other community on Sunday.
“You can see that between yesterday (Sunday) and today (Monday), we have lost almost seven lives. We thought this insecurity was not more but with this now.
“We are using this medium to call on our youths to lay down their arms because nobody is fighting with anybody. And we call on the newly posted Commissioner of Police to swing into action to stop this menace.”
Efforts to reach the spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, proved abortive as her mobile line was not connecting.
She had yet to reply to a text message sent to her as of the time of filing this report on Monday evening.
Our correspondent gathered that the families of the deceased had taken the corpses for burial, even as there was heightened tension in the area as some natives had started fleeing.
