Tension Grips Community in Rivers  as Vigilantes shoot Soldier To Death

*Vigilante Commander, members desert community as Army, Police parade the community

Daniel Efe/Port Harcourt

Palpable tension has gripped Obele community in Emohua local government area of Rivers State because of the alleged killing of a Soldier by members of local vigilantes, OSPAC on Saturday.

Angry soldiers and Policemen now parade the tensed community.

The Soldier who was killed on Saturday night, March 5, is said to one Collins Worehu, also from Obele.
This has happened exactly three months after OSPAC in Omanwa in Ikwerre local government area shot dead an Airforce personnel who went to demand for the freedom of his brother on January 7.

A former caretaker Chairman of Community Development Committe (CDC), in Obele, Eze Israel Anele, a former Divisional Police Officer who is the deceased Soldier’s uncle told our correspondent that the Soldier was on his way home at about 10:30pm on Saturday night when he ran into the members of OSPAC holding some of his relatives.

Mr Anele disclosed that the Nigerian Soldier alighted from the vehicle and approached the vigilante members, who were about Eight in number, to enquire about the reason behind their action and asked that the victims be set free.

Mr. Anele stated that an argument ensured as the vigilante members asked the Soldier and his friend who works in a Correctional Centre to stay off their business.
“OSPAC members ordered the soldier, his friend and those they had held captive to lie face down. An order which the soldier refused. The blunt refusal angered the Vigilantes as one of them pull out his rifle and shot him twice, one on the head and another on the chest while other of his relatives sustained gunshot injuries”.

He alleged that after killing the soldier and injured others, they stole the mobile phones, monies and other personal effect he brought back from peacekeeping operation in the Northern Nigeria.

The retired Divisional Police Officer further said the the sound of gunshots attracted the attention of the Youths of the community who immediately ran to the scene of the tragic incident.

According to Anele, who is also an ex-DPO said: “Angry Youths in the community on hearing the news of the Soldier’s death mobilized and went to the OSPAC office and destroyed it, while the members of Vigilante and their Commander scampered for their lives. They are suspected to have ran into the forest where they carry out illegal Bunkering business”.

Mr Anele also revealed that the OSPAC members have deserted the village while the Police and the Nigerian Army are in the community in search of the OSPAC members.

The murdered Nigerian Soldier, Collins Worehu, is serving at Niger State but came home on permission from the Authority of the Nigerian Army.
The case has been reported at the Rumuji Police Division.

The acting spokesperson for Nigerian Police in the state, DSP Iringe Koko is yet to respond to text messages sent to her mobile line on enquiry into the incident.

Also, the Spokesman for the 6 Division Nigerian Army, Lt.Colonel Charles Ekeocha has not responded to text messages sent to his mobile phone at the time of filing this report.

Our Correspondent recalls that houses, including the operational base of OSPAC, the local Vigilante in Omuanwa in Ikwerre local government area of Rivers State have been burnt by some military personnel.

The destruction of the buildings was a reprisal action against the killing of an Airforce personnel, Kashite Eugene, an Airforce personnel by one Mr. Progress Amecheta, but popularly called “Tuface” who is a member of OSPAC.

Kashite Eugene was allegedly shot dead by Amecheta at OSPAC base in Omanwa on January 7, when he went to demand for the release of a relation who was detained for the allegation of belonging to a cult group.
The family murdered Airforce personnel demanded for the total scrapping of OSPAC in the Omuanwa community, saying that is only when all these and others are done, that the family will feel that Justice for the killing of their late brother is served.