Rivers: Soldiers kill two cult members in gun duel

Operatives of 2 Brigade of the Nigerian Army,
Port Harcourt, on Saturday, engaged a group
of armed men suspected to be cult members
in a gun duel, killing two in the process.
The gunmen were said to have blocked a
major highway in Tai Local Government Area
of Rivers State.
It was learnt the hoodlums shot sporadically
into the air, a development that stopped
motorists and passersby from going close to
the point where they (gunmen) were gathered.
But the swift intervention of men of the 2
Brigade later brought sanity to the place as
they engaged the gunmen in a shootout.
A statement signed by the spokesman of the
2 Brigade, Captain Eli Lazarus, confirmed the
death of two persons, adding that security
operatives were ensured the reopening of the
road.
According to Lazarus, "A group of gunmen
attacked Tai LGA of Rivers State at about 9am
today blocking the major highway. The
gunmen shot sporadically and harassed
innocent motorists.
"The unfortunate incident led to the death of
two persons. Troops of 2 Brigade promptly
intervened by engaging the gunmen and
reopening the road."
Lazarus disclosed that one AK 47 rifle, one FN
rifle, one G3 rifle and three Dane guns were
recovered from the scene of the shootout.
"Also recovered were two AK 47 magazines,
one FN magazine, two G3 magazines, one saw
and 180 rounds of assorted ammunition," he
added.
The 2 Brigade spokesman also disclosed that
some of the gunmen escaped with gunshot
wounds and called on members of the public
to report to the nearest security agencies
upon seeing any person with gunshot injuries.
"Law abiding citizens are enjoined to go about
their lawful activities as normalcy has been
restored in Tai Local Government Area.
"The public is equally reminded to continue to
provide security agencies with useful
information to combat crime," Lazarus said.
Meanwhile, for the second time in one week,
the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike,
led security agencies to supervise the
demolition of hideouts of notorious cult groups
and kidnappers in the state.
Wike was at the Eagles Island in Port Harcourt
on Saturday with the state Commissioner of
Police, Mr. Foluso Adebanjo, to comb the
hideouts of cultists and kidnappers operating
in the state.
The governor and Adebanjo supervised the
demolition of two deadly cultists' camps in the
area in the continued war against cultism and
kidnapping.
One of the camps is located behind a
Redeemed Church while the other hideout
used by the cult members and kidnappers is
known as Andoni Camp.
Wike promised that a police station would be
built at the cultists' camp behind the church
and a community hospital sited at the
demolished Andoni Camp.
Speaking with journalists after the exercise,
the governor said the entire cultists' hideouts
in the area would be demolished to allow law-
abiding residents live peacefully.
He vowed that the war against cultists and
kidnappers would be sustained to ensure that
people carried out their legitimate businesses
without molestation.
The governor also called on residents to
always avail security agencies the necessary
information on the hideouts of criminals for
action to be taken against them.
Before Saturday's exercise, the governor and
security agencies oversaw the demolition of a
building owned by a notorious cult member in
the state, Munachim Ihunwo, who had been
arrested by the police.