About 17 kidnappers and cultists have been killed in separate operations carried out by the police and vigilance groups in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State.
In one of the operations, the vigilante group in Rundele ambushed and killed 10 members of the Degbam Cult members who had raided the community two days earlier, killed and beheaded four members of the OSPAC vigilante group in the community.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Nwonyi Emeka, who however confirmed four of the killings, said the police had responded to signals by members of the community of the invasion of the cultists.
He said the suspected cultists were killed when they had a shooting encounter with the police after they had attacked Mgbuelia community, killed and beheaded the four vigilantes.
The commissioner said the cultists on sighting the police personnel and local vigilantes, engaged them in a gun battle, which led to the death of the four.
He gave the names of the deceased cultists as Chinumeze, popularly called Nigga Raw, Chisa Orji, Okona Okwu and one other person whose identity was yet to be confirmed.
A source in the community however said the cultists were killed by the local vigilantes, who handed over the bodies of the four cultists to the police. The source further said that more corpses were found in the bushes, where the vigilantes ambushed the cultists.
He said exhibits recovered from the deceased were two pump action guns, one locally made gun and empty cartridges of AK47.
In another incident, the commissioner of police disclosed how Nwodi Onuigwe, the most wanted and notorious kidnapper in the state, met his death during an operation at Ogoloma in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Onuigwe, who was a leader of the Iceland Cult group, had a bounty of N2million placed on him by Emohua Local Government Chairman, Dr. Chidi Lloyd.
The gang leader was killed along with three other persons, one of them said to be his second in command during a gun battle with the police in early morning operation. The fourth member of the gang killed, was a female said to be a terror in the Emohua axis
The news of the death of the notorious gang leader sent people into jubilation in many communities where his operations had terrorised the people in Emohua Local Government Area of the state.
The Commissioner said based on intelligence, the police spotted Onuigwe’s gang in Ogoloma, Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State and followed up on them.
He said the deceased were confirmed dead at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital after they sustained bullet injuries.
The commissioner said the late Onuigwe had been on the watch list of the police due to his deadly criminal activities, including killing of policemen, innocent people and kidnapping of persons in the Emohua axis of the East -West Road .
He said residents of Elibrada and neighbouring communities had deserted their homes because of the fear of Onuigwe and his cult members.
The exhibits recovered from them include one AK47 rifle, live ammunition, assault rifle and a pump action gun.
The commissioner also revealed that the Chairman of Emohua Local Government, Dr. Chidi Lloyd, who had declared Onuigwe wanted dead or alive and placed a bounty of N2 million on him has redeemed his pledge.
Onuigwe had been linked to the kidnap of about 13 members of the NYSC returning from their orientation camp in Ondo State.
They were kidnapped at night in May at Rumuji axis of the East-West road in Emohua Local Government Area.
He was reported to have masterminded the kidnap of Justice Azunda, the Protocol Officer to Emeka Woke, the former Chief of Staff to former Governor Nyesom Wike. Woke is now a commissioner in the Sim Fubara government.
Nwonyi restated his vow when he assumed duties that he would take the war to the criminals in their hideouts to rid the state of criminal elements. He said that the command under his watch would do everything possible to ensure the security of lives and property in Rivers State.
Similarly, operatives of Rivers State Police Command have killed three suspected kidnappers in a hideout at Isiodu Forest in Emohua Local Government Area of the state.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Nwonyi Emeka, said at a press conference in Port Harcourt that the success was in continuation of the command’s move to make the state crime-free.
Giving details of the operation, Nwonyi said at about 3.30 am on 16 June, 2023, the command’s operatives stormed the kidnappers’ hideout at Isiodu Forest. He said the hoodlums on sighting the operatives, opened fire and the police operatives responded.
He said in the process, three of the hoodlums were fatally wounded and were confirmed dead at the hospital.
Nwonyi disclosed that eight magazines, 70 rounds of live ammunition and 10 cartridges were recovered from the gang.
In another incident, the commissioner said some hoodlums known for snatching phones, who used the Universal Basic Education UBE Primary School Sandfield, Port Harcourt Township as their base have been dislodged.
He disclosed that when the police stormed the area, the hoodlums scampered and fled. He said a Baretta pistol was recovered, while investigation was going on.
