Nyesom Wike
Mayhem in Rivers, as body of abducted APC campaign director found, five thugs shot dead in gunfight with army, police
Body of Campaign Director of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Rivers State chapter, Mr. Chisom Lennard has been found, hours after his abduction by some unknown gunmen.
The body of Lennard, a PhD student at the Rivers State University, was riddled with bullets and left in a pool of his own blood when it was found along the Ibueahi-Ubeta road in Ahoada-West Local Government Area of the state.
As at the time of the discovery, blood was still oozing out of his body, according to eyewitnesses.
Lennard was reportedly abducted by the gunmen who were dressed in police uniform, whisked away during voting for the Governorship and Assembly elections at Ibagwa Polling Unit 2, Ward 10, in Ahoada West LGA, Saturday.
The APC stalwart was said to have tried to stop the gunmen from snatching electoral materials when they seized and took him away.
Rivers APC Publicity Secretary, Darlington Nwauju, who confirmed the incident, Sunday, said Lennard’s body was discovered late Saturday, hours after his abduction.
“He was abducted from his unit during the voting process and taking away. Nobody knew where they took him to. It was later in the evening of yesterday (Saturday) that his body was discovered.
“He was APC LGA Caretaker chairman and was a PhD student at the Rivers State University,” Nwauju said.
The late APC chieftain was said to be an estate surveyor and a former board member of the Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority during the tenure of Rotimi Amaechi.
Meanwhile, in other development in the state, three suspected cultists were killed in a shootout with Joint Security Forces, consisting of the Nigerian Army and Police, on Saturday during the governorship and House of Assembly elections in Ogbakiri community in Emohua Local Government Area, Rivers State.
Additionally, two people were reportedly killed by police in Bori, the traditional headquarters of Ogoni people in Khana local government area of the state during a protest.
According to witness in Ogbakiri community, the hoodlums encountered the joint security forces at Rumuada clan farm road in Ogbakiri and immediately opened fire on sight.
In response, the security forces engaged in gunfire for over 30 minutes, resulting in the death of three of the hoodlums while others escaped with bullet wounds.
The security operatives retrieved the corpses of two of the hoodlums, and personnel from Rumuji Divisional Police Headquarters have also visited the scene.
