The Rivers State Police Command has arrested a vigilante commander, Felix Nwaobokata, in possession of two human skulls and bones in Omoku.
Nwaobokata, the former commander of the ONELGA Security and Peace Advisory Committee (OSPAC), was arrested alongside three others for allegedly abducting a member of the Hausa community.
The police action is part of a broader crackdown on the excesses of vigilante groups operating in Rivers State. The authorities have received numerous complaints about the activities of OSPAC in Omoku and other parts of the state.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Grace Koko, the arrest follows a report by Alhaji Usman Seleh, Chairman of the Hausa Indigenous Group in ONELGA, that OSPAC had abducted a member of his group. The police invited Nwaobokata for questioning, but he refused to honor the invitation, leading to a raid on the OSPAC camp in Omoku.
The police also arrested Cheta Benjamin, Joshua Ekwosa, Innocent Ahiakwu, and four others in connection with the abduction. Nwaobokata was later arrested in his hideout, where the human skulls and bones were found.
The police are investigating the murder of two brothers, Collins Ugorji and Newman Ugorji, allegedly killed by OSPAC members on May 1st, 2024. The brothers were accused of kidnapping, and their bodies were taken to the OSPAC secretariat in Omoku.
In another incident, OSPAC members led by Friday Ogbuji allegedly shot and killed a youth leader, Innocent Didia, during a peaceful protest in Emuoha LGA.
The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Cp Olatunji Disu, has assured that the command will continue to investigate these cases and ensure that those found culpable are brought to justice.
