Rivers killings: Group reveals identities, numbers of residents killed in Oyigbo

A human rights group, International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has revealed the number of residents allegedly killed by soldiers in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State during and after the #EndSARS protests.

The group further gave the names of the slain civilians and how they were killed, accusing Governor Nyesom Wike of aiding the military operation that left many residents dead between 21st October and 4th November, 2020.

According to the group, at least 50 people were killed, while 80 others were injured during and after the protest.

Chairman of Intersociety, Emeka Umeagbalasi made this claims in a statement on Friday, alleging that the killings were so glaring that corpses littered the roadsides, bushes, with some buried in shallow graves or left to decompose and others picked up by their relatives.

“In Obigbo and environs in Rivers State, we can temporarily confirm the killing of at least 50 unarmed citizens and injuring of not less than 80 others. We can also confirm eleven deaths so far out of which, eight have their names identified and three yet to be named,” the statement added.

The group further gave some of the names of the slain civilians as Pastor Igwe, Queen Nwazuo, Okoro Peter and Chinwendu O; adding that these people “were shot at close range and killed instantly by soldiers on 24th October 2020 few meters away from Governor Wike’s convoy.”

The statement explained that Governor Wike was visiting the Local Government Area to assess his military deployment and curfew same day when two young residents barely emerged from their houses to hear what the Governor has come to tell them but soldiers opened fire on them, killing them instantly.

“They were shot on their forehead, forcing the brain-box of late Chinwendu to burst and emptied at the center of the road,” the group said.

It further listed other slain residents as Jude Egejuru, Clifford Nkemdilim, Miss Ngozi Ozuo, Udeme Ossy Monday, among many others.

“It must be noted that soldiers took away bodies of most of those killed,” the Intersociety said.