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Residents of Rumuodogo 1 and Rumuji Communities in Emohua local government area of Rivers State are fleeing their homes as a group dreaded cult group that killed three operatives of Odegu Security and Advisory Planning Committee, OSPAC, a local vigilance group have allegedly killed about 10 selected family members of OSPAC. Members of OSPAC vigilante group that has been providing security in their area.
Gunmen
believed to be members of a secret cult had early Monday morning killed three of
its members and came back and again killed at least six members of the families
on Tuesday night of January 7.
The
Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Peace Advisory Committee, OSPAC, General Commander of OSPAC, in
the State, Goodluck Okoro, who oversees other branches of OSPAC in the state
has vowed to track the Vigilante group, has declared, ‘no retreat, no surrender’ as
they will hunt down the criminal cultic members.
Okoro stated
that members of OSPAC vigilante cannot be intimidated and called on the Rivers
State government to assist security agencies because criminals in the State are
not ready to surrender, repent and embrace peace.
“We are
surprised that people are not tired of committing crimes. That automatically
means that these bad boys are not relenting. We are not going to be
intimidated. We will continue to carry war to them whether within or outside
state. My advice to the criminals is that they cannot win the war. They can run
but they cannot hide. They should make hay while the sun shines.”
According to
reports, the bandits killed the three security men in the early hours of Monday
at Rumuodogo 1 community.
It was also
gathered that a motorcycle rider which conveyed the murdered vigilance group
members to the area was also killed.
Various
sources from community told our correspondent that the murdered vigilance group
members had in recent times led the onslaught against bandits terrorising
communities in the area.
They were
said to have gone to Rumuodogo 1, in search of a dreaded cult leader earlier
declared wanted for failing to accept peace and denounce cultism before they
were killed early Monday morning.
One of our
sources who prefers to remain anonymous said, “The incident happened this early
morning. The OSPAC people got information that a high profile cultist who was
among the cultists they declared wanted had returned. They were on their way
coming when the cults gathered and killed them.
“The OSPAC
people who brought relative peace had called on all cultists to repent and stop
their activities. They asked the repentant cultists to take oath that they will
not be involved in criminal activities. Some of the cultists accepted, while
other refused and ran away.
At the time of filing this report, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Nnamdi Omoni has not issued any official statement on the latest development in Rumuodogo.
It would be
noted that since the establishment of OSPAC vigilance group, many cultists have
been decimated, therefore, creating relative peace in most communities in the
area and making it possible for motorists to resume plying the
Choba-Emohua-Rumuji-Ndele axis of the East-West road.