One person was killed and eight others sustained gunshot injuries following a violent clash during a masquerade procession in Omoku town, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Monday, around 1:30 a.m. along Sambo Street, when a confrontation reportedly broke out between a member of the community, identified as Barrister Akpudi Ikechukwu, and four operatives of the Nigeria Forest Guards Security Service (NFSS).
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the spokesperson of the Rivers State Police Command, CSP Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed that nine members of the masquerade group were hit by gunfire during the incident.
According to the police, one of the victims, simply identified as Obulo, later died at the Omoku General Hospital, while the remaining eight are currently receiving medical treatment at the same facility.
“During the incident, nine members of the masquerade group sustained gunshot injuries.
”One of the victims was confirmed dead at the hospital, while eight others are undergoing treatment,” Iringe-Koko said.
She also disclosed that following the shooting, Akpudi Ikechukwu and two other suspects were arrested and subsequently transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation.
The police spokesperson added that the command has commenced a full investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the clash and establish the roles played by all parties involved.
To prevent further unrest, the Area Commander was said to have engaged youths in the community to calm tensions, while joint patrols by the police and the military have been deployed to the area to maintain law and order.
Iringe-Koko assured residents that the police would ensure justice is served, stressing that anyone found culpable in the incident would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
“The Rivers State Police Command assures the public that all those found responsible for this incident will be brought to justice,” she said.
