The Police have confirmed the deaths of five people in Odiemerenyi community, Ahoada East, Rivers State, The Herald reports.
The perpetrators, reportedly affiliated with the notorious cult leader David Gift, alias 2Baba, are responsible for the killings.
The assailants were reportedly on the hunt for people believed to be providing information to the police.
The Rivers Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP. Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident, revealing that the cultists, previously implicated in the killing of Divisional Police Officer SP Bako Angbashin in Odumude community months ago, targeted the Odiemerenyi community in search of alleged police informants.
The police swiftly responded to a distress call received by the Ahoada Police Station around 01:00 hours on Sunday, November 12, 2023.
The law enforcement operatives, accompanied by tactical units, reached the community where the hoodlums had already claimed the lives of five residents. In an exchange of gunfire, the police managed to overpower the assailants, fatally wounding two of the suspected cultists.
The Commissioner of Police has ordered the Ahoada Police Division and other tactical units to intensify efforts to apprehend David Gift and other suspects who managed to escape the scene.
The community has been reassured of enhanced security measures to counter any potential security threats orchestrated by criminal elements.
The Commissioner of Police extended condolences to the bereaved families, urging residents to continue with their daily activities, emphasising that robust security measures are in place to thwart any security challenges that may arise from criminal activities in the area.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing.