The state committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has claimed that 32 of its members have been shot, clubbed and beheaded in escalating violence as oil-rich Rivers state prepares for a rerun of legislative elections previously annulled amid fraud and killings.
Rivers state, currently governed by the PDP is in the middle of a sensitive period. The PDP denies any responsibility and have gone one to blame the spate of killings over two weeks on “satanic cult clashes,” according to state government spokesman Austin Tam George. He accused the governing party of “reckless and false allegations” to destabilize the opposition administration.
Rivers police spokesman Ahmad Muhammad acknowledged there had been “some murders” and said the gang leader believed to be behind it has been arrested.
The state chapter of the All Progressives Congress accused opposition leaders of hiring gangsters to kill and intimidate its members. Party members are living in fear and it is speculated that this will keep many from the March 19 polls for federal and state legislators in the state.
It released a list of 32 names of party members it said have been killed, some by gunshots, several beheaded, others clubbed to death and one man even burned alive.
“It is most likely that the violence is going to get worse,” warned newly elected DG of NIMASA Dakuku Peterside, who also lost the governorship election in Rivers.
Rivers state seems to be a hotbed for violence with the 2015 presidential and legislative elections marred by the death of over a 100 people.