Vigilante commander arrested with human parts in Rivers

The operatives of the Rivers State Police Command have arrested the commander of a local vigilante group, Felix Nwaobakata, with two human skulls and other parts in the state.

Nwaobakata, who is the Commander of the ONELGA Security and Peace Advisory Committee codenamed OSPAC, was apprehended at his hideout in Omoku, Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The command disclosed this in a statement issued by its spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, on Wednesday, July 3, 2024.

Iringe-Koko noted that the vigilante commander was a principal suspect in the murder of two brothers in Idu in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State on May 1, 2024, on the allegations that they were kidnappers.

She said the arrest of Nwaobakata and other OSPAC members followed numerous complaints about their operations in different parts of Rivers State, especially in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni LGA.

The police spokesperson disclosed that the operatives of the vigilante recently attacked a police division in Omoku and clashed with other security agencies.

Iringe-Koko stated: “The Rivers State Police Command has commenced a clampdown on the excesses of vigilante groups operating within the state.

“This follows numerous complaints about the operations of the ONELGA Security and Peace Advisory Committee in different parts of the State, predominantly in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA, as well as clashes with other security agencies by this vigilante group.

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“On May 9, 2024, Alhaji Usman Seleh, the Chairman of the Hausa Indigenous Group in ONELGA, reported that OSPAC had abducted a member of his group. He proceeded to report the matter to the police. Consequently, the police invited the ONELGA OSPAC Commander, Felix Nwaobakata, who refused to honour several invitations.

“Instead, the OSPAC outfit coordinated an attack on the police division in Omoku but the attack was thwarted as the police repelled them.

“Following this development, Tactical Units of the command stormed the ONELGA OSPAC Camp at Omoku and arrested Cheta Benjamin, Joshua Ekwosa, Innocent Ahiakwu, and four others.

“The ONELGA OSPAC Commander, Felix Nwaobakata, was subsequently arrested in his hideout in Omoku on June 17, 2024, where two human skulls and human bones were found in his possession.

“The arrested OSPAC Commander, Felix Nwaobakata, is also a principal suspect in the murder of two brothers, Collins Ugorji (32) and Newman Ugorji (39), of the Idu Community in ONELGA.

“The brothers were killed on May 1st, 2024, by the OSPAC on the allegation that they were kidnappers.

“Their motorcycles were confiscated, and their bodies were taken to the OSPAC Secretariat in Omoku and received by Felix Nwaobakata after residents lamented their criminal actions.

“The bodies of the brothers were not seen, and the investigation is ongoing.”

She noted that the command while recognising the relevance and importance of vigilante groups in the community policing system, with regards to information gathering and visibility, among others, will keep engaging and synergising with the groups on what is expected of them and their limitations.

The police spokesperson added: “The rights of all as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended must be respected.

“The Rivers State Command wants to reassure the public and all key stakeholders that it will continue to work within the ambit of the law and issue a stern warning to any individual or group who chooses to operate outside the scope of the law.”

The Star