No fewer than eight people sustained gunshot wounds after a violent attack in Elele town, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Eyewitnesses alleged that the commander of the local vigilante group, Elele Security Planning and Advisory Committee (ESPAC), opened fire on supporters of Governor Sim Fubara and threatened to kill them all.
The incident, which occurred at the Elele Roundabout along the Port Harcourt-Owerri Road, has heightened tension in the area. While some sources claim that at least eight individuals were injured, the Rivers State Police Command confirmed four victims.
An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told VANGUARD that the commander of the Elele Security Planning and Advisory Committee (ESPAC), a local vigilante group, led the attack.
He further claimed that the commander, who is reportedly aligned with a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Elele, had previously threatened to kill all supporters of Governor Fubara in the community.
“This is happening now in Elele town. The OSPAC commander of Elele, who is also the leader of a PDP faction here, came out and opened fire on the supporters of Governor Sim Fubara. A number of them are in the hospital with bullet wounds. He has been threatening to kill all Fubara’s supporters, and today, he has started executing that plan. We urge security agencies to arrest and prosecute him before the situation worsens,” the source told VANGUARD.
In response to the violence, the Rivers State Police Command confirmed that one suspect had been apprehended and a firearm recovered. According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, security operatives swiftly mobilized to the scene following reports of unlawful assembly.
