Confusion As Rivers Police Deny Killing Four Wounded Gunmen

By Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt

There was confusion in Rivers State at the weekend as the police denied storming hideout of some of the fleeing wounded gunmen in Oyigbo Local Government Area, Rivers State, killing four of them and a female nurse.

It was earlier gathered that a tactical team of the Nigerian Police carried out the operation that killed the suspected gunmen.

According to the Nation, the slain gunmen were reportedly being treated by the nurse identified simply as Chichi in a hidden area of Oyigbo when the squad surrounded the building and opened fire on them.

It was gathered that sensing danger one of them on drip attempted to escape by scaling the fence unknown to him that the area had been surrounded by armed policemen, who shot him dead.

The policemen subsequently gained access to the building and killed three others receiving treatments and the nurse, who was caught up in the gunfire, was also hit by a bullet.

The victims were said to be among the gunmen, who recently murdered seven policemen in surprised and coordinated attacks on security formations along the East-West Road and Elimgbu Police Station.

A security source, who spoke in confidence, said the bandits were trying to get medical treatments for multiple bullet wounds inflicted on them by the police when luck ran out on them.

He said: “Remember that recently gunmen, who disguised as security operatives killed seven policemen when they attacked their formations along the East-West Road and the Elimgbu Police Station.

“During that attack, the police at Elimgbu engaged them in a gun battle. They sustained many injuries and even abandoned their Hilux van. Those who were wounded ran to their hideout at Irebe side in Oyigbo and hired one Uchechi, a nurse to treat them.

“The police tracked them to the hideout. Three of them were already on drip. Sensing danger, one of the gunmen scaled the fence but was gunned down by the squad.

“The policemen eventually gained access to the building and met three others on drip. They made efforts to shoot at the police but the policemen gunned them and in the process the lady was hit by a bullet and she died.

“I can tell you that they are IPOB members. Five registration booklets of IPOB, many charms and some arms were recovered from them. You need to see their body, which was previously riddled by bullet. Though the bullets may not kill them because of their charms, the effects and the injuries will still show.”

But the the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Friday Eboka, when contacted said the people, who carried out the act were not policemen.

Eboka said before the District Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the area and his men could get to the scene, the killers had concluded their mission and fled.

He noted that policemen, who rushed to the scene, only saw the five dead bodies and later recovered many charms.

He said: “That matter was reported at Oyibo police station. The people involved are not policemen. We heard that four of them were taking treatment in a clinic before the unknown armed men went there with two Hilux vans and a Sienna.

“They went there and people heard gunshots. Before police could get there the gunmen have entered their vehicle and drove away. The policemen met dead bodies of the four guys and the young woman (nurse). I told the DPO to move those dead bodies while we investigate the matter.

“But, obviously, they are not policemen. If there must be operation by police it must be reported at the nearest Police Station. The people that carried out the act are not policemen. It was an unknown armed men and not policemen.

“The people they killed were actually receiving treatment of their gun wounds. When the DPO got there, they recovered the receipt of their treatment. They recovered charms. They were receiving treatment of gun wounds. The people that killed them are not policemen.”