One Killed, Eight Injured in Masquerade Clash in Rivers State

One person has been confirmed dead and eight others injured following a violent clash during a masquerade procession in Omoku, headquarters of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Monday along Sambo Street, where youths were participating in a masquerade display. A confrontation reportedly broke out during the procession, leading to gunfire. The exact cause of the clash had not been established at the time of filing this report.

Nine members of the masquerade group sustained gunshot wounds and were taken to the hospital for treatment. One of the victims, identified as Obulo, was later confirmed dead, while the remaining eight are receiving medical care at the Hospital, Omoku.

Confirming the development, the spokesperson of the Rivers State Police Command, CSP Grace Iringe-Koko, said the command has launched a full investigation into the incident.

According to her, the police received a report at about 7:00 a.m. on Monday indicating that the shooting occurred around 1:30 a.m. during a confrontation involving a man identified as Barrister Akpudi Ikechukwu and four personnel of the Nigeria Forest Guards Security Service (NFSS).

She disclosed that Barrister Ikechukwu and two other suspects have been arrested and transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation.

CSP Iringe-Koko added that preliminary inquiries are ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and the level of involvement of all parties.

To prevent further unrest, the Area Commander addressed aggrieved youths in the community, while a joint security patrol comprising police and military personnel has been deployed in the area.

The police command assured residents that those found responsible will be prosecuted in accordance with the law.