By: Emmanuel Nlewedum
Progress Amecheta, suspected killer of Nigeria Airforce personnel in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State has been arrested by the State Police Command.
Amecheta, a member of Omuanwa Security and Peace Advisory Committee (OSPAC), last Tuesday allegedly shut the Airforce personnel who tried to rescue his brother who was apprehended, beaten and kept detained at OSPAC cell at Omuanwa community in the LGA.
A community source simply identified as Chika, told newsmen that the incident caused tension in the community as youths stormed the office of the local vigilante outfit in anger while residents fled the area on citing the presence of joint security agencies.
Confirming the incident to newsmen, Rivers State Police Spokesperson, DSP Grace Iringe-Koko, said the suspect has been arrested.
“The case in Omuanwa in Ikwerre LGA, the OSPAC personnel, Progress Amecheta, has been arrested and he is being detained in the SCID for further investigation”.
Meanwhile, Omuanwa Community Development Committee Chairman, Ugo Chinna has condemned the killing of the Airforce personnel by a local vigilance operative, popularly known as ‘Two Face’ describing it as a great loss to the community.
He said they apprehended the suspect and handed him over to the Isiokpo Police Area Command in the LGA to ensure there is peace in the community.
“It is painful we lost that young man, an agent of the federal government. Is despicable but if not that he is dead you would have heard his own side of the story.
“The incident is a case of carryover aggression. On Monday, there was an argument in the OSPAC yard between the Airforce personnel and the local vigilance.
“Someone was arrested to denounce cultism and that is what OSPAC has been doing to sanitize the community. I was told the Airforce personnel entered the yard and started commanding the immediate release of the arrested person. But during the argument the suspect pushed the victim out of the gate.
“On Tuesday, he (Airforce personnel) mobilised some of his friends and traced the vigilance member that pushed him outside the gate to his father’s house and they beat him to stupor. In defence, the vigilance member ran to where he kept his riffle, picked it up and shot at the Airforce personnel which led to his death”, he said.
