Rivers state Commissioner of Police, Zaki Ahmed

Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

No fewer than 20 persons have been reportedly murdered by gunmen who went house-to-house in Omoku, the headquarters of Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni local government area and other adjoining villages in Rivers State, killing and in some instances eliminating an entire family.

The incident happened at about 2 am on New Year day.

Also, reports have it further that some of the persons were killed by unknown gunmen while coming back from church’s cross over night in Omoku and the surrounding communities in Ogbe-Egbema-Ndoni local government area.

The motive behind the shooting is still not known as some Facebook users took to the platform to condemn the shooting and upload the gory photos of the dead and those nursing gun shot wounds in the various hospitals.

Nnamdi Omoni,the Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, has however confirmed the incident assuring that the Police will do all it can to arrest the gunmen.

The Police Spokesman refused to narrow down the attack to the Militant Leader in the area popularly known as Don Nwanee .

However, out of the total number of those killed, 14 are from Arigbo, Don Nwanee’s community. It is alleged that his band of loyalists carried out the attack accusing them of not defending when the local government council security outfit swooped on his village to arrest his boys few months ago.

However,concerned citizens from the troubled area have resorted to the social media platform to react to the senseless incident and upload the photo of the dead and injured.

Tragedy also struck to the family of one Port Harcourt’s best dancer known as Rokky.

He was among those who shouted “Happy New Year” at midnight only to be found dead in the morning.

He was said to be hit by a stray bullet in Abonnema, Akuku Toru LGA of Rivers State.