Bloody weekend as gunmen kill 11 in Port Harcourt

It was a bloody weekend in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital as 11 persons were shot dead at different locations by unknown gunmen.

Six of the victims were killed on Worlu Street in D Line close to Oroworoku community when the assailants stormed a spot near a mechanic workshop at about 7.15 pm demanding to see the owner of a vehicle parked outside.

It could not be confirmed if they saw the person they were looking for but the assailants, numbering about four, suddenly dashed to their vehicle, pulled out their rifles and started shooting indiscriminately at those they saw. Eye witnesses said six persons died on the spot.

When newsmen went round the area yesterday, residents were seen in groups discussing the development. None of them was willing to volunteer information to our reporter.

It was gathered that Policemen from the Olu Obasanjo Police station later came to evacuate the corpses that night. Nobody could say if the killing was cult related as the development generated so much tension in the neighborhood. There was still palpable fear on Worlu Street, D Line area of Port Harcourt when newsmen visited the scene yesterday morning.

Similarly, on Igbukwu Street area of Port Harcourt on Saturday, some suspected cultists fired gunshots indiscriminately for several hours. It was not clear what their intention was but they literally took over the street. Residents scampered for safety as gunshots rented the air. The gunmen also smashed bottles on the road.

Unconfirmed report said one person died during the incident while the Police later moved in to restore normalcy.

 Newsmen gathered that another four persons were shot dead that same Saturday at the Eastern Bye-pass area of the state capital. According to eyewitnesses, the Police later came to remove the corpses. This incident raised the number of those shot dead to 11 on Saturday.

Effort to get the Police to confirm or deny the incidents were futile as the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Muhammad declined comment.

In a response for a text from newsmen for comment, he merely said: “I decline comment.”

Vanguard