The Police command in Rivers says the killing of a former student leader, Mr Endwell Ejindu is not connected to the ongoing clashes by political factions in the state.
The Spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt on Wednesday that Ejindu was killed by cultists.
”Ejindu was attacked and killed in the late hours of Tuesday by gunmen suspected to be cultists.
”The murder of the victim is unrelated to the current political crises in Rivers state,” she said.
NAN gathered that the former Student Union President, Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Port Harcourt, was killed along Ula-Upata Road, Ahoada East.
Initial reports linked the killing to clashes between rival political factions struggling for the control of the 23 local councils offices in the state.
An eyewitness, who identified himself as Samson, told newsmen that Ejindu was murdered in cold blood by a group supporting a prominent politician in Ahoada.
He said that the incident happened shortly after the victim left the Ahoada-East council secretariat where he joined other youths to protest the tenure extension of the outgoing council chairman.
“Ejindu boarded a motorcycle at about 7.00p.m. on Tuesday, and was later ambushed by three gunmen along Ula-Upata Road.
“The gunmen opened fire on him, and he was killed instantly while the motorcyclist sustained gunshot wounds,” he said.