A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt handed down death sentences to five individuals for the murder of Umezuruike Alex, the commander of a local vigilante group known as OSPAC in Omudioga community, Emohua Local Government Area. The convicted individuals are Okechukwu Orji from Atali community, Igwe Promise, Iheanyi Igwe, Morrison Igwe from Omudioga, and Goodness Monday from Akwa Ibom State. They were found guilty of multiple charges including conspiracy, cultism, murder, and illegal possession of firearms.
The trial judge, Justice Sika Aprioku, acquitted a sixth defendant, Alex Deiwe, but found the other five guilty based on evidence presented by the prosecution counsel, Essien Edet. Justice Aprioku ordered their execution by hanging or lethal injection. The court also highlighted the convicts’ involvement in kidnapping and other criminal activities across the state.
Following the verdict, Essien Edet, the prosecution counsel, expressed satisfaction with the judgment, emphasizing its significance in deterring others from similar crimes. He described the murder of the former OSPAC commander as a gruesome act and stressed the importance of justice in such cases. Umezuruike Alex was killed and dismembered in 2021 by cultists who perceived him as a threat to their illicit operations in the area. OSPAC, which stands for Onelga Security Peace and Advisory Committee, aims to maintain security and peace in the region.
