Police Arrest Three for Alleged Killing of Military Personnel in Rivers

Blessing Ibunge

Rivers State Police Command said it has arrested three suspects in connection to the killing of a serving military personnel at Obele community in Emohua Local Government Area of the State.

THISDAY had gathered that the victim, Darlington Worehu, serving at Niger State was shot dead on Saturday night by suspected members of OSPAC, a local vigilance group in Obele.

A former Caretaker Chairman of Community Development Committee (CDC) in Obele, Eze Israel Anele, who confirmed the incident to THISDAY, disclosed that the victim (soldier) was on his way home at about 10:30pm on  the fateful day date when he saw the OSPAC members holding some of his relatives.

Anele, who claimed to be an uncle to the deceased soldier, disclosed that the victim alighted from the vehicle and approached the vigilance members to enquire the reason his relatives were detained when an argument ensued.

He  added  further that one of the vigilance members shot the Nigerian soldier, Darlington on the chest and head while two other of his relatives sustained gunshot injuries.

Anele, who is also an ex-Divisional Police Officer, said angry youth in the community on hearing the news of the soldier’s death mobilised, stormed the OSPAC office and destroyed it.

He also revealed that the OSPAC members have deserted the village while the Police and the Nigerian Army are in the community in search of the OSPAC members.

 “Darlington was going back at about 10pm to where he resides at Elele alongside his friend who is a prisons warder. They approached a point at Obele community where OSPAC members held his relatives and they pleaded that the local vigilante should allow them go.

“But the vigilance members asked him (soldier) to leave that place or they will shoot him, at that point when he refused to lie down on the floor as they ordered, the OSPAC members shot him on his chest and his head. Their bullet attacked some persons within the incident scene.

“The OSPAC people after killing him, searched him, collected his handset, the phone he came back with from peace keeping, his money.

“When the community people heard the gun shot they came out in their numbers to know where it was coming from and that was when they saw the OSPAC people entering their vehicle and drove to their office.

“The information has been reported to the Rumuji Police Station and my people equally reported the incident to the military personnel who were around and they came yesterday but on getting to OSPAC office they have already ran into the bush where they are doing their Bunkering”, the CDC chairman disclosed.

However, THISDAY learned that the killed soldier, was  serving at Niger State but came home on permission from the authority of the Nigerian Army.

Also, confirming the incident, the state police Public Relations Officers, DSP Grace Koko, disclosed that three suspects have been arrested in connection to the crime.

Koko told THISDAY that “The command has apprehended three suspects in connection to the case, meanwhile the matter has been transferred to State Criminal Investigation Department for discreet investigation.”

Spokesperson for the 6 Division Nigerian Army, Lt.Colonel Charles Ekeocha did not respond to THISDAY’s enquiries as at  time of going to press.