Again, gunmen kill five soldiers in Rivers community

Barely 24 hours after gunmen attacked security checkpoints in Omagwa and Isiokpo communities in Ikwerre local government area of Rivers State, resulting in the death of about nine soldiers, police officers and customs officers, five other soldiers have also been killed in Abua/Odual local government.

The gunmen, it was gathered attacked the soldiers guarding staff of an oil company operating in Omelema community on Monday morning, abducting the oil workers.

Details surrounding the attack are still sketchy as the six division of the Nigerian declined to comment on the matter at the time of filing this report.

Residents of the area said the gunmen ambushed the company’s vehicle conveying them to a flow station in the community.

Recall that gunmen had on Saturday night attacked several security checkpoints in Isiokpo and Omagwa, killing about nine soldiers, police and customs officers.

A spokesman for the state police command, Nnamdi Omoni, said, “I can confirm the attack on security personnel along the Omagwa-Isiokpo-Elele-Owerri Road.

“The CP (Mr Friday Eboka), has launched a full-scale investigation into the dastardly attack with a view to arresting the perpetrators and bringing them to justice.”

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kelvin Ebiri, on Sunday said those behind the attack must be fished out and made to face the law.

“The governor said there was no justification for such a heinous and condemnable attack targeted against innocent security personnel on the legitimate duty of protecting lives and property in the state.

“We condemn this heinous act, share the grief of the security agencies and convey our sincere condolences. Governor Wike has therefore demanded that the perpetrators of the attack must be fished out and brought to justice.”