The Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Security Peace and Adversary Committee, OSPAC, a vigilante group accused of killing five persons in Okomoko, Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, has denied allegations it was involved in the killings.
Community sources said the vigilante group invaded Okomoko community around 9:31 pm on Saturday and killed five persons.
Their bodies were dumped in Otamirioche River in Chokocho community by the rampaging security group after the dastardly act.
They added that a woman was also hit in the eye by a stray bullet while many others sustained several degrees of injuries.
But Victor Ohaji, the commander of the vigilante group said that the accusations are false.
He said that the group’s activities did not extend to the Etche.
Also Read: Punch takes a stand, prefixes Buhari’s name with ‘Major General’
He explained that the group maintains a standard operating procedure of not shooting indiscriminately except when going after kidnappers or armed robbers who first fired at them.
Ohaji also said that the vehicle used by the attackers in Saturday’s attack does not have the OSPAC logo.
He said that criminals have been in the habit of impersonating OSPAC, adding that members of the local vigilante group had always worked in collaboration with the police and other security agencies to ensure peace.
Nnamdi Omoni, the state Police Public Relations Officer, the command has recovered five corpses.
“They were killed by yet-to-be identified gunmen. Though people were insinuating that OSPAC members were involved, we should not begin to guess in this type of situation.”
He added that the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Mustapha Dandaura, had ordered a thorough investigation of the circumstance that led to the killing of the five persons and the arrest of those behind the dastardly act.
