Thugs kill mother and daughter over Delta politics

The attackers reportedly raped Miss Owolo, who recently completed her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme, before shooting her. Both mother and daughter died on Wednesday in a private hospital in Effurun. Another victim in the attack carried out at about 10pm was a toddler, who was hit by a stray bullet.

Narrating the incident to reporters in Warri yesterday, Aghoghor Ewenode, the elder son to the late Mrs. Ewenode, said he was the target of the attackers.

Mr. Ewenode alleged that officers of the Ekpan Police Division, Effurun would have averted the situation but for their nonchalant attitude as he and his murdered sister had reported the threat to their lives by political hoodlums in the area.

He called on the Inspector General of Police to order for the immediate transfer of the DPO in-charge of Ekpan Police Division, Muhammed Muazu for his failure to protect lives and property in the area.

"I was not around when the incident took place. I was hanging out in a drinking bar with some friends when someone came with a report that a woman and her daughter have been shot dead," he said.

"It was later that one okada rider came to tell me that it my mother that was shot by some supporters of a political party. This same group that had come to tell me to come and work with them. That I should come and work with them instead of the DPP where I belong. I have been an agent and a strong supporter of DPP in my area since 2003."

"They beat me up in February because of this same issue. It was the police that came to rescue me on that occasion. Because of their threat, I packed out from my mother's house in Effurun to our house in Warri. Even after that, they called me to say that I should remember that my people are still in Effurun. That if they can't get me, they will erase my family from the surface of the earth and on Tuesday night at about 11pm, they came and killed my lovely mother. They shot my sister in her private part after raping her and shot my mother on the waist."

The spokesperson of the Police in Delta State, Charles Muka, said the Police already have the report of the killing, but that the matter had not been officially reported.

"We (Police) already have record of the killing but we are yet to receive any former statement from anybody or members of the family. However, we have started full scale investigation into the matter with the view of ascertaining if it was a politically motivated crime," he said.