The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed and condemned the brutal attack carried out by suspected cultists on June 23, 2025, at about 8:00 p.m. in Ahoada East Local Government Area.
According to a statement released on Tuesday, June 24, by the Command’s spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, armed assailants led by two individuals identified as Umegbewe Kingsley, also known as ‘Gutam’, and one Opaka (surname unknown), believed to be leaders of the Iceland cult group, stormed the OSPAC office located beside the Ahoada East Council Secretariat and opened fire on operatives.
During the attack, OSPAC operative Ngozi Ipah was shot. While fleeing the scene, the gunmen also shot and killed a police officer, Corporal Francis Friday, who was on special duty with the Special Intervention Squad (SIS) at the Secretariat.
SP Koko noted that police patrol teams led by the Divisional Police Officer responded swiftly but arrived after the attackers had escaped. Both victims were taken to the Ahoada General Hospital with multiple gunshot wounds and were pronounced dead on arrival. Their bodies have been deposited at the hospital morgue for autopsy.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga A. Adepoju, has since visited the scene of the incident and deployed tactical teams to the area. He also directed the Area Commander and Divisional Police Officer to intensify efforts to apprehend the perpetrators, assuring that those responsible for the killings will not escape justice.
The Command has urged residents to remain calm and cooperative, and to report any suspicious individuals or activities to the nearest police station.
