From: Tony John Port
Harcourt
Gunmen have assassinated the paramount ruler of Orokpor village in Rumueme community, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, Chief Charles Minikwu.
The monarch was assassinated on Friday night during a meeting with other chiefs of the area in the village hall.
Sunday Sun gathered that the development caused pandemonium and tension in the area, leading to the burning down of several buildings.
According to an anonymous source, the gunmen stormed the Council of Chiefs meeting, which was attended by some traditional rulers and shot him dead.
The source further disclosed that youths believed to be loyal to the deceased went on rampage and allegedly burnt houses of persons suspected to be involved in the assassination.
Before his gruesome murder, Chief Minikwu, it was gathered, was the secretary of a faction of the community leadership, which had been battling for supremacy.
In 2016, he was said to have escaped assassination after he was accused of killing a rival chief in the community, which led to destruction of property in the community.
According to a community member who declined to be mentioned, the crisis was later resolved through the intervention of the security agencies.
It was also alleged that the murder of the victim was connected to lingering communal chieftaincy tussle and sharing of entitlements from an oil firm operating in the area. When contacted, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of Rivers State Police Command Omoni Nnamdi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), confirmed the incident, and said that the Command had arrested three persons suspected to be involved in the dastardly act.