Suspected
assassins have killed the paramount ruler of Orokpor village in Rumueme
Community, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Charles Miniku.
It was
gathered that Miniku was assassinated on Friday night during a meeting with
other chiefs in the area inside the village hall.
The
development caused panic in the area as several buildings were set ablaze.
A source who
spoke on condition anonymity said the killers stormed the council of chiefs
meeting attended by some traditional rulers and chiefs, and shot their target
to death.
The source
disclosed that some youth, loyal to the murdered chief, went on rampage and
allegedly burnt down houses of the people they linked with the killing.
Miniku, until
his death, was the secretary of a faction of the community leadership, which
had been in dispute. Last year, Miniku escaped an assassination after he was
accused of killing a rival chief in the community.
Property worth
millions of naira were destroyed in the community by the rampaging youths but
the riot was later calmed through the intervention of the police.
Another
source, identified only as Prince, said the murder was related to several
communal issues concerning Miniku within the community. Prince linked the
murder to chieftaincy tussle and sharing of entitlements from Nigerian Agip Oil
Company located in the area.
The
spokesperson for the police in Rivers, Mr. Nnamdi Omoni, said three suspects
had been arrested in connection with the murder of the monarch.
He said police
were able to pacify the angry youths, and that normalcy had returned to the
area.
“Yes, I can
confirm the incident and we have made adequate deployment. We have taken over
the community. We suspect that the situation could have degenerated and more
lives would have been lost. But we were able to curtail the rampaging youths.
People have been asked to go about their lawful duties."
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