Four people have reportedly been killed, and a bus was set on fire following heavy gunfire during the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Eastern Zone election in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Saturday.
According to our correspondent at the scene, the election at Abuloma Model Primary School was proceeding without incident when over 100 armed men stormed the venue, firing shots and toppling canopies. The attackers are believed to have acted on the orders of a local warlord with vested interests in the election’s outcome.
The violent clashes, which lasted for more than four hours, caused widespread panic in the Abuloma community and surrounding areas, as residents and business owners fled for safety.
In a statement, the Rivers State Police Command, through its Public Relations Officer, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed that tactical police teams had been dispatched to the scene on the orders of the Commissioner of Police. However, by the time they arrived, the assailants had fled.
The police commissioner has now ordered an investigation to track down those responsible and bring them to justice. The police also urged law-abiding citizens to resume their normal activities, assuring them that calm had been restored. The public was encouraged to report any suspicious activity.
Despite the return of human and vehicular movement in the area, our correspondent notes that there is still significant tension, with fears of a possible retaliatory attack from the opposing faction.