Gunmen suspected to be cult members shot and killed Chief Ferdinand Dabiri, the Vice Chairman of the Obelle Council of Chiefs, in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State on Saturday evening, July 19, 2025.
Eyewitnesses said the assailants, led by a notorious cult figure known as “Cairo,” stormed a meeting of community leaders at Omuwoka village, arriving on a motorbike. Cairo reportedly alighted, approached Chief Dabiri directly, and shot him twice before fleeing the scene after confirming he was dead.
The brazen attack caused panic, forcing attendees of the meeting to flee for safety. Community sources also disclosed that some residents began leaving the area for fear of further violence.
Joseph Eze Dabiri, one of the deceased chief’s sons, confirmed the killing during a phone conversation with our reporter. “I heard that a guy came with a gun while my father was in a meeting at Omuwoka village in Obelle, shot at him twice and fled on Saturday evening,” he said. He added that the case has been reported to the Rumuji Police Division and called for justice.
As of the time of filing this report, the Rivers State Police Command had not released an official statement on the incident.
This latest killing has revived fears in the community over the growing influence of cult groups. It also draws fresh attention to previous allegations involving the same suspect. On November 15, 2024, Miss Loveth Amadi led a protest to the Rumuji Police Division, accusing Cairo of murdering her father, Akpata Amadi, a member of the local vigilante group, on November 4, 2024.
Residents are now calling on security agencies to act swiftly and bring the perpetrators of both killings to justice.
