Emmanuel Masha 
A lawyer who opened fire at a masquerade parade and ended up killing a bystander and injuring eight others in Omoku, in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, has been arrested by personnel of the state police command.
The masquerade had allegedly flogged the car of the lawyer, Barrister Akpudi Ikechukwu, during a parade, a move that angered the lawyer, who rushed out of his car with a gun and shot at the masquerade and the bystander who died.
About six persons suffered gunshot wounds, including the masquerade, while the killed bystander was not part of the masquerade parade.
One person was reportedly killed in the incident, while six others sustained gunshot injuries. Sources said the person who died was an innocent bystander and not part of the masquerade.
Sources say that some angry youths allegedly set ablaze the lawyer’s family house near Santa Maria and his personal house in Obrikom.
The spokesperson of the State Police Command, CSP Grace Iringe-Koko, who confirmed the incident, said it occurred on Monday, adding that two others linked to the incident have been arrested.
“The altercation escalated and resulted in a shooting and casualties,” Iringe-Koko said in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
The statement partly reads: “The Rivers State Police Command has commenced an investigation into a shooting incident that occurred in the early hours of Monday, January 19, 2026, along Sambo Street, Omoku, which resulted in one fatality and multiple injuries.
“At about 07:00 hours, a report was received at the Omoku Police Division through credible sources stating that at about 01:30 hours, while some youths were masquerading along Sambo Street, a confrontation occurred involving one Barrister Akpudi Ikechukwu and four personnel of the Nigeria Forest Guards Security Service.
“During the incident, nine members of the masquerade group sustained gunshot injuries. One of the victims, identified as Obulo, was confirmed dead at the hospital in Omoku, while eight others are currently receiving medical treatment at the same facility.
“Following the incident, Barrister Akpudi Ikechukwu and two other suspects were promptly arrested and transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for detailed investigation.
“A joint security patrol comprising the Police and the Military has been deployed in the area to ensure the safety of lives and property. The Rivers State Police Command assures the public that all those found culpable will be brought to justice,” the statement added.
