12 killed as Ijaw Youth Council election turns bloody in Rivers

EMMANUEL NLEWEDUM, Port Harcourt

There was tension in Abuloma Community in Port Harcourt City local government area of Rivers State, as no fewer than 12 persons were reportedly killed with a bus burnt, following heavy shooting that marred the ljaw Youth Council (IYC), Eastern Zone election, on Saturday.

DAILY CHAMPION gathered that the election which was held at Abuloma Model Primary School, was going smoothly when fully armed men in their numbers, stormed the venue shooting sporadically.

A community source who pleaded anonymity told our correspondent that the armed men stormed the venue of the election on the orders of an unnamed militant leader who is interested in the outcome of the IYC election.

He said, the shooting which lasted for hours left residents, business owners and participants scampering for safety.

Our source said, “My brother, we never expected what we saw yesterday during the election at Abuloma. Let me not lie, over 12 persons died. Some of them died after leaving the venue and about 7 to 8 dead bodies were seen within and around the school, a woman who was far from the venue was hit by a stray bullet too.

Reacting to the incident in a statement, Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Grace Iringe-Koko said the Commissioner of Police, CP Olatunji Disu has ordered a manhunt for perpetrators of the crime.

The PPRO said, the Commissioner of Police, upon notification of the incident swiftly dispatched Tactical Teams to the scene, but before the arrival of the Police, the perpetrators ran into their hide out.

The CP however, advised all law abiding citizens to go about their lawful businesses and report any suspicious movement to the Police, as normalcy has returned to the area.

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