Four people have reportedly been killed, and a bus set ablaze, following heavy gunfire during the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Eastern Zone election in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Saturday.
According to our correspondent at the Abuloma Model Primary School, where the election was held, the process was progressing smoothly until over 100 armed men stormed the venue, firing sporadically and tearing down canopies.
It is believed that the armed group was acting on the orders of a warlord with vested interests in the election’s outcome.
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The shooting, which lasted over four hours, caused widespread panic in the Abuloma community, forcing residents and business owners to flee for safety.
In a statement, the Rivers State Police Command, through its Public Relations Officer, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed that the Commissioner of Police deployed tactical units to the scene. However, by the time the police arrived, the attackers had already fled.
The police commissioner has since ordered an immediate manhunt for the attackers to ensure they face justice.
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The command also urged law-abiding citizens to continue their daily activities, assuring them that normalcy had been restored while advising them to report any suspicious activity to the police.
Although human and vehicular movements have resumed in the area, tension remains high, with residents fearing a potential reprisal from the opposing faction.
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