VIOLENCE- Gunmen kill two PDP members, shoot APC leader in Rivers

The wave of political violence in Rivers State continued on Friday as gunmen killed two members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Aluu community in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state.

Also, a leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rumueprikom, Tasie Wike, was shot when thugs attacked the Ward-to-Ward Campaign of the governorship candidate of the party, Dakuku Peterside, in Eliepronwo, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.

The deceased, Odinaka Wichendu and Nkanum Nwankwo, were said to be PDP leaders in Omike-Aluu community.

It was gathered that the yet-to-be-identified assailants shot the victims dead in their homes. A PDP source from Ward 13 in Ikwerre who confirmed the killings said the gunmen stormed the residence of the victims at night and shot them dead.

According to the source, after the killing, the assailants fired sporadically to make good their escape.

The Rivers State police public relations officer (PPRO), Ahmad Muhammad, said that he had not received brief on the incident.

Similarly, many people were shot in Eliepronwo, in Obio/Akpor LGA of the state, during the APC Ward-to-Ward Campaign led by Peterside.

The political thugs were said to have stormed the area and started shooting sporadically, and in the process, wounded many people, including the APC leader in Rumueprikom, Wike.

Gubernatorial candidate of the PDP, Nyesom Wike, hails from Obio/Akpor, and it was gathered that his supporters had earlier threatened to attack APC members during Friday’s well-publicised ward campaign in the area.

Muhammad, who confirmed the shooting, said the command was unaware of the Ward-to-Ward Campaign. He added that, when the police received a distress call about the shooting, they moved to the venue and restored calm.