Tension as Gunmen Kill Vigilante Commander, Three Women

• Suspected cultists have killed Rivers OSPAC vigilante commander Ozomela Stephen Nwaocha and three women, including his sister, in a deadly attack in Omoku. Police have launched an investigation as panic spreads across the community.

The zonal commander of the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area Security Planning and Advisory Committee (OSPAC), Ozomela Stephen Nwaocha, has been shot dead by suspected cultists in Omoku, Rivers State.

The attack, which occurred on Tuesday evening along Oba Road, also claimed the lives of three women, including the commander’s sister, while two other victims sustained gunshot wounds and are receiving treatment in hospital.

According to eyewitnesses, the assailants attacked Nwaocha while he was relaxing outside his residence with the women. The incident is suspected to be a reprisal linked to an earlier community dispute that reportedly left two youths injured.

Confirming the attack, OSPAC spokesperson Nkem Godknows said the commander was killed around 5:05 p.m. while sitting with his sister and a friend near his home.

“Our commander was hanging out with his sister and friend around his neighbourhood. Before you know it, the gunmen got there and shot him dead,” he said.

Godknows disclosed that three women died instantly, while two others survived with gunshot injuries. He urged residents to remain calm and appealed to the government to provide greater support for OSPAC operatives.

The attack has triggered panic across Omoku, with many residents reportedly fleeing to neighbouring communities while businesses and markets remained shut over security fears.

The Rivers State Police Command confirmed the incident and condemned the killings.

Police spokesperson Grace Iringe-Koko Agabe described the attack as a setback to the relative peace in the state, assuring residents that those responsible would be tracked down and prosecuted.

The police also appealed to members of the public to provide credible information that could assist ongoing investigations.