Rivers police kill suspected cultist in gun duel

The Rivers State Police Command has said a notorious cultist identified as Azunda Elechi was killed during a shootout with its operatives.

The command’s spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists in Port Harcourt, the state capital on Thursday.

Iringe-Koko said Elechi, a member of the Dey-Gbam cult group, was among those that attacked Mgbola Village, the Ndele Emohua Local Government Area, on Tuesday, where four persons were killed.

She said, “On Wednesday, May 31, 2023, the Dey-Gbam cult group invaded the community again. In a shootout between the cultists and the police/local vigilantes, Azunda Elechi was fatally injured.

“One pump action and two live cartridges with three empty cartridge shells were recovered.

“Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, CP Nwonyi Polycarp, has urged parents/guardians to monitor the activities of their children/wards to ensure that they do not succumb to societal pressure to commit crimes.

“Similarly, members of the public are enjoined to remain law-abiding and report suspicious activities in their neighbourhood to the police.”

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