Gunmen on Sunday attacked Opuoko and Lumene communities in the Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, killing five persons, injuring many and razing houses, including the Khana council chairman’s house.
A resident of Opuoko community, who spoke to The PUNCH on condition of anonymity, said the hoodlums attacked the community very early on Sunday taking the community unawares.
He said, “This morning, a group of unidentified gunmen attacked our community shooting ceaselessly; many persons who were running caught bullets but managed to escape into the bush.
“Three persons died after the attack here in Opuoko, the hoodlums also burnt several houses including our Chairman’s house, Hon. Lahteh Loolo.”
Another youth in Lumene community told our correspondent the suspected cultists killed two persons.
“After they (gunmen) attacked Opuoko early morning today, they also came to our village shooting and burning people’s houses, everyone run for safety in different directions.
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“It was God that saved my life today; as I ran into the bush, I saw two persons lying lifeless on the ground.
“It was when the police came and started shooting at them that they ran away.”
The Rivers State Police Command confirmed the attack in a statement made available to The PUNCH by the police public relations officer Nnamdi Omoni.
The statement read, “Today, August 18, 2019 at about 06.30am, information got to us that a group of cult boys invaded two communities in Khana (Opuoko and Lumene) where they attacked and killed one person in Opuoko and two in Lumene, altogether three persons died.
“The house of the LGA chairman and the former youth leader came under attack.
“The attackers on sighting the police took to flight but were chased and two of them arrested, while the trail for others is still on. The two suspects arrested are Damwua Karagbara, 33 years, alias Spider, and Dinee Prince, 23 years.”
Omoni added that the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State, Mustapha Dandaura, had ordered an Investigation into the incident.
