One killed, others injured in suspected assassination attempt in Delta

By Nosa Eresoyen, Asaba

One person was on Wednesday confirmed dead while an unconfirmed number of persons sustained various degrees of injuries in Evwreni community, Ughelli North local government area of Delta State in the aftermath of a perceived assassination attempt on the immediate past Executive Director, Projects of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Engr Sam Adjogbe.

Trouble was said to have erupted after the police was prevented from arresting a suspect fingered in the June 20 attempted assassination of Engr Adjogbe along the East/West road close to the community.

Though details of what transpired yesterday was still sketchy at press time, sources from the community disclosed that one person was killed after youths from the community prevented the police from arresting the suspect.

The source who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “One person was killed while several others sustained various degrees of machete cuts after they were attacked by some persons whom are suspected to be members of the local vigilante in the community.

“The person killed is Sylvester Adjogbe. Men from the State Criminal Investigation Department, Asaba, led by one John Agbajie, had visited the community to arrest one Atiri Stephen following a petition by the ex-NDDC director, but were resisted by youths from the community.

“The traditional ruler of the community (names withheld) ordered the local vigilant and some of his loyalists to attack any relatives of Engr Samuel Adjogbe after the police had been stopped from effecting the arrest, an incident that led to the death of Sylvester Adjogbe who was killed at his father’s house.”

Efforts to speak with the State Police Public Relations Officer DSP Onome Onowakpoyeya was fruitless as at press time on Wednesday

However, the Police Commissioner in the state, Hafiz Muhammed Inuwah Confirmed the incident, saying that Investigation was ongoing with a view to bringing those responsible for the killing and Assassination attempt to arrest