Suspect behind Rivers’ New Year attack shot dead

The Nigerian army says Don Waney, a suspected cultist alleged to have masterminded the mayhem wrecked in Rivers state, is dead.

On January 1, Waney and some members of his gang allegedly killed 21 people in Omoku, a community in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni (ONELGA) local government area of the state.

In a statement on Sunday, Aminu Iliyasu, deputy director, army public relations, confirmed the death of Waney and two other members of his gang.

Waney was reportedly shot and killed alongside Ikechukwu Adiele, his second-in-command, and Lucky Ode, another member of his gang, while trying to escape arrest.

According to the statement, the troops had on November 20, raided Waney’s enclave in Omoku, and discovered weapons, dynamites, bags of suspected cannabis, full military camouflage uniforms, military boots, military communication radios and human skulls and human bones.

Iliyasu said Waney relocated from Omoku to a community in Enugu state after the attack by him and his gang.

“Waney after the attack relocated to a neighbourhood within Enugu town in Enugu state where he rented an apartment and started living among unsuspecting neighbours within the community,” the statement read.

“However, he was fished out of his new location by the DSS Rivers state command, a combined team of troops of 82 Division Nigerian Army Enugu and personnel of DSS Rivers State command who raided the hideout to arrest him and his other accomplices.

“He was however shot down by the troops in the process. His second-in-command (Ikechukwu Adiele) and another gang member (Lucky Ode) were also killed in the process.

“One of them died on the spot while the other two who sustained gunshot wounds eventually died while being evacuated for medical attention.

“The remains of Don Waney and his cohorts were brought back to Port Harcourt Rivers state by the combined team and handed over to the Rivers state police command for further action.

“Authorities of 6 Division Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, therefore, calls for further cooperation from the members of the public in volunteering useful information to track down and arrest the remaining gang members so as to bring them to justice.”

Ibrahim-Idris, inspector-general of police, had ordered the deployment of additional investigative teams in Rivers and Benue state, which was also attacked on the same day by herdsmen.