21st March, 2015
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Orgy of violence has continued in Port Harcourt, Rivers state capital as no fewer than eight persons were killed and many others injured on Friday night, at different locations in the state capital when unknown gunmen suspected to be cultists went on rampage.
Five persons were allegedly shot dead and scores wounded, when armed men stormed at a popular bar before Amadi-Ama roundabout, on Friday night in the state capital and shot sporadically at the customers.
Eyewitnesses said the incident occurred at about 11:30 p.m. Among those killed was a lady and a military personnel. The clear identities of the victims could not be ascertained as at press time.
Sources who are resident in the area, said they were awakened by heavy shooting at the bar, which operates till dawn on daily basis.
The sources said that three corpses, which were not identified that night were kept outside the bar till morning, and expended bullets littered the vicinity of the drinking bar.
In a related incident, earlier that night, three persons were allegedly killed and another seriously wounded when two armed men attacked their victims in Port Harcourt.
The three victims were simply identified as Ibiyene (a woman, selling local gin, kaikai), Ekaki and Maxwell. The one wounded was Tekena. The incident happened at about 9:00 p.m. by hoodlums suspected to be cultists, came from old NEPA waterfront and shot the victims at Prime Rose Estate, Okrika waterfront, Port Harcourt metropolis.
Eyewitnesses, who pleaded to remain anonymous said the hoodlums walked directly to where the woman was selling drinks and opened fired at the customers. The victims were said to have died on the spot.
It was further learnt that earlier in the day, some members of a group of bandits in the area had alleged that the vigilantes group in the area had been a hindrance to nefarious operations, especially at the waterfronts.
When the Rivers State Police Command, Public Relations Officer Ahmad Muhammad was contacted over the two incidents, he confirmed the shooting at the bar located at Amadi-Ama roundabout. He explained that from the briefs he received hinted that the hoodlums were suspected cultists.