PORT HARCOURT: Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the killing of one of its men and a vigilante member in Ahoada-East Local Government Area of the state.
This came as the Commissioner of Police in the state, Olugbenga Adepoju, following reports of the killings, visited the area in the company of other top officers of the command. Police say the act was carried out by suspected cultists terrorising the area and identified two of the suspects.
The command in a statement in Port Harcourt, Tuesday, by its Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police, condemned the incident, describing it as brutal. Iringe-Koko noted that the incident happened around 8pm, noting that the cultists had first attacked the vigilante group’s office and killed one of them before attacking the police team.
She said: “The Rivers State Police Command condemns the brutal attack carried out by suspected cultists on June 23, 2025, at about 8:00 PM. Armed assailants, led by two men, Umegbewe Kingsley a.k.a. ‘Gutam’ and one Opaka (surname unknown), believed to be leaders of the Iceland cult group, stormed the OSPAC office beside the Ahoada East Council Secretariat and opened fire on its operatives.
“During the assault, OSPAC operative Ngozi Ipah was shot. While escaping, the assailants also gunned down a police officer, Corporal Francis Friday, who was on special duty at the Secretariat with the Special Intervention Squad (SIS).”
Iringe-Koko noted that police quickly arrived at the scene of the attack, but the cultists fled on sighting the police team. She said that both victims were moved to the Ahoada General Hospital where they were confirmed dead.
The PPRO said: “Responding swiftly, Police patrol teams led by the Divisional Police Officer arrived at the scene, but the attackers had already fled. Both victims were rushed to the Ahoada General Hospital with multiple gunshot wounds but were pronounced dead on arrival. Their bodies have been deposited at the hospital morgue for autopsy.
“Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga A. Adepoju, PSC, MNIPS, has visited the scene and deployed tactical teams to the area. He directed the Area Commander and DPO to intensify efforts to track down and arrest the perpetrators. The CP has vowed that the killers of the police officer and the OSPAC operative will not escape justice.”
She further urged residents of the area to remain calm and cooperative with the police by reporting any suspicious individuals or activities to the nearest station.
