Rifles carted away as vigilante group, soldiers clash in Rivers community

…Vigilante commander’s house razed

Many residents of Ndele community in Emuoha Local Government Area of Rivers State have fled following a clash between members of a disbanded vigilante group and operatives of the Nigerian Army.

It was gathered that two soldiers drafted to guard oil installations in the areas had an altercation with members of the disbanded vigilante led by one Gift, which resulted in the shooting.

It was further gathered that Gift, a Commander of the disbanded vigilante codenamed ‘OSPAC’, allegedly shot the two soldiers, carted away their rifles and uniforms during the melee and fled into the bush.

The injured soldiers were tied inside the bush, though the shooting had not been ascertained as of the time of filing this report.

PUNCH reported that the situation led to a reinforcement by the soldiers who invaded the community in search of Gift, the rifles and uniforms he carted away.

As the search intensified, the soldiers traced Gift to his hideout during which a shootout ensued, but it could not be ascertained if any casualty was recorded.

Seeing that he (Gift) had fled, the operatives went to his house and set it ablaze causing pandemonium in the community, as residents either fled into the bush or to safer areas in order not to be caught in the crossfire.

A source who pleaded anonymity said, “One of the soldiers came and untied the two persons inside the bush. The soldier then called his colleagues.

“Throughout yesterday (Saturday) night, the whole of Ndele has been quiet. Everybody ran away. Some people didn’t sleep in their houses. They slept inside the bush.

“They (soldiers) were looking for the OSPAC commander. There was serious gunfire. As I am talking to you now, they burnt his house and I don’t know if he came back this morning.

Speaking on the incident, a Traditional Ruler in the area, Damian Ejiowhor, confirmed that the soldiers had been in the community since Saturday evening in an attempt to recover the rifles seized by the vigilante commander.

He stated, “The soldiers came yesterday. The OSPAC Commander had a confrontation with some soldiers and then we were told that he seized two of their assault rifles and their uniforms.

“So, the soldiers came back that evening asking for the rifles,” he simply stated, refusing to speak further.

Efforts to reach the spokesperson for 6 Division, Nigeria Army, Port Harcourt, Iweha Ikedichi, proved abortive as he did not answer calls put across to his telephone by our reporter.

Also, he had yet to reply to a text message sent to him as of the time of filing this report on Sunday evening.