About 10 people have been killed following a month-long cult war in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State despite several attempts made by armed policemen to restore peace and order in the area.
The most recent killing occurred on Sunday, May 11, 2014, when hoodlums, suspected to be members of the dreaded Degbam cult group unleashed terror on the community and its neigbouring communities.
Members of the cult group from Obibi, Etche, invaded Umuoga and Amaku in Igbodo community, Okehi town and went on killing spree.
One of the deceased, Nnamdi Ajaegbu, was said to be the only child of his parents, whose father is based in the United States and had refused to visit home because of the threat from the cult boys.
According to a source, police were immediately deployed to the area on news of the brutal killings got to them, The command’s deputy spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), confirmed the deployment of policemen in the troubled communities.
Most of the attacks are carried out near the council’s headquarters in Okechi, usually affected non-cultists which has forced the council’s staff working in fear and closing early from work to avoid any encounter with these hoodlums.
Meanwhile, a policeman with the Nnewi Central Police Station (CPS), Anambra State, was shot dead on Friday, May 10, 2014 at Akaboukwu Uruagu Nnewi by a private oil marketer and a member of vigilante group who mistook the policeman for a thief in his compound.
The deceased policeman led an operation with other colleagues from the CPS. He allegedly jumped a fence around 9 p.m. to arrest a suspect in the compound of the oil maketer who allegedly shot the victim. He died on his way to the hospital.
Although, the suspected killer was arrested, the family of the policeman besieged the CPS, demanding justice, a situation that nearly led to a free-for-all, but for the early intervention of the Nnewi Area Commander.
The police spokesman, Mr Emeka Chukwuemeka, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), when contacted could not comment on the incident, saying he was on tour with the commissioner but promised to carry out proper investigation about the incident.
