Gunmen reportedly killed at least six persons in the Odiokwu community, Ahaoda West local government area of Rivers State on Sunday morning.
Residents told journalists that the hoodlums stormed the community when many of them were preparing for church services and started shooting sporadically.
They said several members of the community had been killed by criminal gangs this month and urged the federal and state governments to address the problem.
However, the state police command has not confirmed the attack.
The eyewitness said a resident who was preparing to go to church was also gunned down.
The source, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, expressed worry that 27 persons have died in Ekpeye kingdom in different attacks in the month of March.
He, however, called in security agencies to come to their aid, as the people now live in fear.
“This thing happened at exactly 11am this Sunday. Some bad guys just came to a compound where youths were just resting.
“Some other visitors who are also tenants in that compound were also outside, preparing for church this morning. Just for them to be shot like that. About six persons were shot.
“And these persons that were shot were not members of any cult group. Neither did they have any problem with the community or any cult group.
“And this thing baffles us. As I’m talking to you now, we have recorded a total number of 27 persons killed in Ekpeye in this month of March.
“We have traditional leaders, we have political leaders, we have a government in Rivers State. Why is it that Ekpeye is being abandoned? Instead, people send guns and money to these buys.
“We are calling on the Federal Government and the international community, since the state government is not doing anything about the killings, to come to our aid,” he said.
The police, as at the time of filing this report, is yet to respond.
