Gun battle in Rivers: Notorious cultists ‘Lover Boy’, ‘2flexy’, 2 others shot dead

By Okafor Ofiebor /Port Harcourt 

Four suspected Kidnappers identified as ‘Lover Boy’ ,‘2flexy’ and two others said to be members of notorious Deygbam and Sailors cult groups in Rivers have been killed in a gunfight with the Police in Port Harcourt.

A yet to be identified operative of Diobu Vigilante was also among those killed in an exchange of fire in Port Harcourt between the criminal gangs and the police from Sunday, December 4 to Monday December 5,2022.

It was gathered that acting on intelligence, security operatives, including Octopus Strike Force Police unit last Sunday trailed the suspected kidnappers who are believed to be on the wanted list of security agencies and intercepted them in the front of a new generation church along Abacha road,GRA phase 2, Port Harcourt. 

An Eyewitness who simply identified himself as Francis revealed that the hoodlums on sighting the security operatives opened fire on them and the security personnel responded.

Two of the suspects were fatally wounded in the exchange of gunfire.

The gunfight caused heavy traffic gridlock in area as commuters and motorists abandoned their vehicles and ran in different directions for safety.

The security operatives were said to have cordoned off the section of the road where the incident took place.

It was further gathered that the Octopus Strike Force Police unit in a follow up mission on Monday December 5,2022, also went to the hideout of the criminals around Sangana axis of Railway in Mile 1 Diobu, where they reportedly shot dead other two members of the Kidnap gang during an exchange of gunfire.

Sources privy to the incident stated that some members of the two rival cult groups (Deygbam and Sailors) had formed an alliance for engaging in armed robbery/ kidnapping business despite their usual rivalry as the festive period approaches.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko has not commented on the incident at the time of filing this report.