Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the killing of an officer and four other people by suspected cultists at Omoku in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government.
The incident reportedly occurred last Saturday.
Police spokesman Nnamdi Omoni said yesterday that the officer died in service.
He recalled that the hoodlums invaded the palace of Eze Chukwumela Obi, the monarch of Ogbaland, and held him hostage.
Omoni said the police officer came to repel the attack, but he was overpowered by the gunmen.
He said: “The incident happened last Saturday. The gunmen attacked the palace and our man went there to repel the attack. It was only him, so the suspected cultists killed him and ran away. The police officer died on duty.”
It was learnt the gunmen first invaded Udoji Street at Omoku and killed a man before moving to Palace Road, Omoku, where four people were killed, including the policemen attached to the Ogba of Ogbaland.
A source, who said the deceased’s families had taken the bodies to a mortuary, urged the government to appoint a Caretaker Committee chairman to tackle insecurity.