Kelechi Kas
No less than five persons were killed on Thursday when unknown gunmen said to be cultists stormed Zor-Sogho community in Khana local government area of Rivers.
The incident created panic in the community forcing some residents to flee to other communities for the safety of their lives.
According to sources, the gunmen invaded the area in Gestapo style at about 10 pm, shot indiscriminately, instantly killing five persons, all males.
The reason for the attack is not yet known but community sources said it might be linked to a brewing cult clash.
While condemning the killings, Ogoni Youth Development Initiative describing it as barbaric.
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Imeabe Oscar, the National Coordinator of OYDI, said the killings were due to the activities of cult groups and expressed surprise that some Ogoni youths were still indulging in such a shameful act.
He said, “We are shocked that at a time we are preaching peace, some misguided youths will still carry guns to kill innocent people. It is not a good report at all. For us, the peace of our communities is paramount. We advise our youths to shun violence and embrace peace or be ready to face the wrath of the law.
“We are also using this medium to call on the government and security agencies to investigate this matter to ensure that such a wicked act does not repeat itself. We want those behind this incident to be fished out and prosecuted so we can have peace in our communities.”