There was pandemonium at Banigo Isile-Ogono community, Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State when unknown gunmen invaded a funeral attended by top politicians in the state.
The gunmen, attacked the funeral shooting at the attendees sporadically before abducting several others identified as Sunny Hart, Thomas Allison and Theophilus Ibiama as well as two others, yet to be identified.
The chairman of the Bonny Local Government Council, David Irimagba as well as the State lawmaker representing Bonny Constituency, Abinye Blessing Pepple were chased by then gunmen but managed to escape with their lives.
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The leader of the Bonny LG Legislative Assembly, Miriam Hart was not as lucky as she was shot by the mask wearing attackers and is currently battling for her life at a private hospital.
According to eyewitness accounts,
“Pepple, Irimagha, and Hart were among guests who were in the community to attend the funeral of late Kenneth Kalada Banigo when the gunmen who were masked struck.
“The lawmaker, local government chairman, together with other guests tried to get to the waterfront to board their boats and escape. The gunmen later abducted a number of persons and took them away into the nearby creeks. The matter has been reported to security agencies.”
Confirming the incident, the Special Assistant to one of the attacked political leaders, Kingsley Jumbo said in a statement,
“The Rivers State lawmaker representing Bonny Constituency, Hon Abinye Blessing Pepple and the Executive Chairman of Bonny Local Government, Hon David Rogers Irimagha earlier today escaped being abducted by masked gunmen.
“The unfortunate incident happened at Finapiri Ama (Amauda) village in Banigo Ishilegono where they attended the burial ceremony of an elder statesman in Bonny Kingdom, Late Amaopusenibo Kenneth Miebaradima Kalada Banigo when masked gunmen arrived and began shooting sporadically from the jetty.”