Rivers State Police have arrested the leader of a local vigilante group, Felix Nwaobakata, after finding human skulls and bones in his hideout in Omoku, headquarters of Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area of the state.
Nwaobakata is also a suspect in the murder of two brothers earlier this year.
The Police added that in a clampdown on the excesses of vigilante groups operating in the state, operatives arrested seven other members of the local security outfit for sundry crimes, including murder.
Grace Iringe-Koko, spokesperson for the State Police Command, disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
Iringe-Koko said Nwaobakata, the Commander of the ONELGA Security and Peace Advisory Committee (OSPAC), is a principal suspect in the murder of two brothers– Collins Ugorji (32) and Newman Ugorji (39)— in Idu in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni LGA on May 1, 2024.
The brothers were accused of being kidnappers.
The statement said Nwaobakata was arrested following several complaints about the operations of OSPAC, especially in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA, including recent clashes with other security agencies and an attack on a police division in Omoku.
“The Rivers State Police Command has commenced a clampdown on the excesses of vigilante groups operating within the state,” the statement read.
It cited multiple incidents involving OSPAC, including the abduction of a group member reported by Alhaji Usman Seleh, Chairman of the Hausa Indigenous Group in ONELGA.
The police said Nwaobakata had ignored several invitations to discuss the abduction case and instead coordinated an attack on the Omoku police division.
“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.”
In another incident, OSPAC members, led by Egbeda OSPAC Commander Friday Ogbuji, ambushed and killed Youth Leader Innocent Didia following a peaceful protest in Emuoha LGA on May 3, 2024.
The Rivers State Police Command has committed to further arrests and investigations, aiming to charge those involved to court. Commissioner of Police Olatunji Disu advised residents to report any complaints of assault, extortion, or illegal detention to the nearest police station.
Disu stressed the importance of vigilante groups in community policing while stressing that the police will not tolerate any form of criminality, excessive force, or illegality from these groups.
The command will continue to engage and synergise with vigilante groups to ensure they operate within legal boundaries.
