An official of the Department of State Services (DSS) was killed on Friday during an attack on security personnel in Omoku, Ogba/Ndoni/Egbema local government area of Rivers state.
Omoku is the community where Franklin Obi, ward chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was beheaded, while his wife and son were also killed.
According to Lazarus Eli, assistant director of army public relations of 2nd brigade, Port Harcourt, the deceased operative lost his life during a joint operation carried out by the army, police and DSS.
Eli said the security personnel engaged their attackers in a gun battle for hours, adding that normalcy has been restored.
“A joint security team consisting of the army, police and DSS while conducting patrol today at Egi in Omoku community of Ogba/Ndoni/Egbema Local Government Area of Rivers State were attacked by unknown gunmen,” he said in a statement.
“The criminals engaged the security team for several hours before they were eventually dislodged. Sadly, a security agent lost his life in the unfortunate incident.
“Reinforcement has been sent to beef up security in the area and normalcy has been restored.”
The incident happened barely 24 hours after two soldiers were killed during an exchange of gunfire with suspected sea pirates in the Akuku-Toru local government area of the state.
There has been tension across the state over Saturday’s legislative rerun election.