Gunmen suspected to be cultists have killed a young man, Chigozie Oluwu, and abducted the President of the Omoku Youth Federation, Ifeanyi Azuazu, in Omoku, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA) of Rivers State.

The attack occurred on Thursday around 6:00 pm at a popular bar along Ogolo Street, off Palace Road in Omoku, the headquarters of ONELGA. Eyewitnesses reported that about seven gunmen arrived in two vehicles and, upon spotting the youth president, ordered him into one of the cars at gunpoint.

Oluwu, who served as Azuazu’s personal aide, reportedly intervened and was shot dead by the assailants, who then abducted the youth president and drove away to an unknown location.

The incident caused chaos as residents and passersby fled for safety, while some shop owners hastily closed their businesses.

On Friday afternoon, the ONELGA Security and Planning Advisory Committee (OSPAC) recovered the beheaded body of the youth president in a forest in Elieta community.

OSPAC spokesperson Godnews Nkem confirmed the attack in a phone interview, stating that Oluwu was shot at the youth president’s residence and that Azuazu’s body was found hours after the abduction.

Nkem urged residents of Omoku to remain calm and allow the Police, Department of State Security (DSS), and other security agencies to conduct investigations to apprehend the culprits.

The Rivers State Police Command has yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident.