Rivers Crisis: Police confirm killing of cop, vigilante member

Police in Rivers State have confirmed that two people were killed in the state on Tuesday.

Police said two people who died were a policeman and a member of a vigilante group and that they were killed at Eberi-Omuma in Omuma Local Government Area of the state.

However, police said in order to tackle further breakdown of law and order that its men have been ordered to take over the 23 council secretariats in the state.

The deceased persons were killed around the premises of Omuma LGA council secretariat during the protest.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police, who confirmed this in Port Harcourt said investigation into the killings has commenced.

Iringe-Koko said: “Following the breakdown of law and order in the various Local Government Council secretariats in Rivers State where supporters of the two Political factions clashed over the tenure of Local Government Council Chairmen, a case of death was recorded at Eberi-Omuma, Omuma LGA, where a Police officer and a vigilante were killed.

“To forestall more bloodshed and prevent a further breakdown of law and order, the Police have taken over all the 23 Council Secretariats and some critical government infrastructure in the state. Conventional police officers and anti-riot police officers have been deployed to these facilities.

“While urging all groups and individuals to be law-abiding, the Command also warns anyone who intends to cause mayhem as we will not hesitate to impose the full weight of the law on them.

“We also wish to ask the law-abiding residents and visitors in the state to go about their lawful businesses without fear. We are resolved to carry out our constitutional duty of protecting lives and property.”