Gunmen have reportedly killed an unspecified number of policemen and Customs Officers at various checkpoints in Rivers State.
The incident is said to have happened on Saturday night between Omagwa -Isiokpo – Elele communities in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers state, along the Port Harcourt – Owerri road.
In a statement on Sunday, the Police in Rivers state confirmed the attack on the security personnel but did not say if any officer was killed.
According to the statement which is signed by the Police Public Relations Officer in Rivers State, SP Nnamdi Omoni, the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Eboka Friday “has launched a full-scale investigation into the dastardly attack with a view to arresting the perpetrators and bringing them to justice.”
The Police added that so far, the “area is calm with reinforced and increased joint Patrols on that stretch and other areas in the state by the security agencies.”
The police further reassured that all parts of Rivers state are calm, safe, and secure.
Meanwhile, the Area One Command of the Nigerian Customs Service in Port Harcourt, Rivers State says it cannot confirm if there was an attack on its personnel.
The Spokesperson of the command, Oscar Ivara told Channels Television that the Omagwa-Isiokpo-Elele area of Rivers State is under the Federal Operations Unit which is headquartered in Owerri, Imo State, adding that the unit will be in the best position to state the fact.
Last night’s attack on the Police and Customs officers in Rivers state happened barely two days after three persons were shot dead in the Diobu area of Port Harcourt.
According to a statement by the Rivers State Police Command on Thursday, the killings were a result of a clash between two rival cult groups.
The Police spokesman in Rivers State, Nnamdi Omoni says in the statement that,
“On the receipt of the distress, Operatives of the Diobu Division mobilized massively to the scene but unfortunately on arrival, the cultists had taken to flight.
“They however were able to arrest one of them alive, while three lifeless bodies were at the scene with multiple gunshot wounds on their bodies.”
He says “the suspect arrested, one Ejike Paul ‘m’ 36yrs is cooling his heels and helping in the investigation.”