Two persons were shot dead on Tuesday in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State when supporters of the People Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress clashed.
The incident, which took place in Omoku, was said to be a reprisal after an initial violent clash took place in Okwuzi community within the area.
One of the deceased, according to a source, was a relative to the State Commissioner for Power, Mr. Augustine Nwokocha, whose house was touched.
Apart from Nwokocha’s house, an unspecified number of buildings were also set ablaze as members of the two major political parties in the state tore at each other amidst sporadic shooting that began at about 8am.
The fight between the two parties in Okwuzi on Monday did not claim any life within the community, but spilled into Omoku, where two persons lost their lives.
Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni is the local government area of the State Chairman of the PDP, Mr. Felix Obuah, while Nwokocha is the leader of the APC in the area.
An eyewitness said the incident had caused confusion in the area as residents, traders and passers-by took to their heels to avoid being hit by bullets.
Confirming the incident, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ahmad Mohammad, told newsmen that it was a clash between two political parties in the state.
Mohammad also confirmed that two persons were killed during the clash, adding that though there was an attempt to set some houses on fire, security operatives on duty were on the ground to stop them.
The PPRO said, “The skirmishes in the two communities in ONELGA, and which started in Okwuzi yesterday (Monday), was as a result of a clash between supporters of two political parties in the state.
“I can confirm to you that two persons were killed during a reprisal, as a result of the spillover of the clash, in Omoku this morning (Tuesday) but there was no reported case of house burning.
“Also, there is no confusion in the two communities as the situation there now is normal. There were attempts made to vandalism some houses in Omoku but they were stopped by our men, who were on ground there.”
However, efforts made to reach the State Commissioner for Power, Mr. Augustine Nwokocha, to react to the incident at Omoku and how he was affected was futile as his mobile phone indicated that it was switched off when our correspondent called.
