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PORT HARCOURT – Tension gripped Igwuruta in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State on Thursday as residents staged a protest over the killing of a community youth leader by suspected commercial motorcyclists, commonly known as okada riders.
The early morning protest disrupted traffic along the Port Harcourt International Airport Road, leaving commuters stranded and affecting travellers heading toward Imo State.
The victim, Festus Nchelem, secretary of Omuolo-Omunwei community in Igwuruta, was reportedly stabbed to death on Tuesday night.
The attack followed the arrest of two suspected motorcycle thieves who had allegedly been apprehended and brought into the community.
Chairman of the Igwuruta Development Committee, Lucky Matthew, said Nchelem was attacked while escorting members of the local vigilance group to hand over the suspects to the Igwuruta Police Station.
According to him, the assailants, said to have arrived on over 500 motorcycles, intercepted their vehicle and launched a violent assault.
He added that a member of the vigilance group sustained severe machete injuries and is currently receiving treatment at a hospital.
During a condolence visit to the deceased’s family in Omunwei, the Chairman of Ikwerre LGA, Charles Wobodo, announced an immediate ban on commercial motorcycle operations in Igwuruta. He said the measure was necessary to restore order, safeguard lives and property, and tackle recurring security concerns in the area.
Wobodo assured residents that those responsible for the killing would be apprehended and prosecuted, while directing security agencies to enforce the ban without compromise.
In a communiqué, the Igwuruta Youth Group alleged that the murder, alongside reported cases of rape, kidnapping and other criminal activities attributed to commercial motorcyclists, has severely undermined the peace and communal harmony the community once enjoyed.
The group said, “Igwuruta has always been a welcoming and peaceful community, where residents and visitors alike live and conduct business without fear.
“However, recent provocations and escalating violence by these criminal elements have made it clear that immediate action is required to protect our people and restore safety.”
