Soboma George, a notorious ex-gangster, was accused of helping rig 2007 elections in Nigeria. He had signed up to a government amnesty deal only months ago and his death on Tuesday sparked fears of unrest before upcoming polls.
"My men were with the body yesterday (Friday) for autopsy," Rivers State police spokeswoman Rita Abbey told AFP.
Police announced late Friday that they had recovered George's body. No arrests had been made but police suspected former gang members of being behind the murder, Abbey added.
"The investigation has led to three suspected persons," she said.
Rivers State Police Commissioner Suleiman Abba alleged that the leader of a splinter militant group and some of his aides were responsible for the killing.
"A splinter group known as the icelanders, led by Pere, a notorious armed robber/kidnapper, allegedly masterminded the killing of George," Abba told reporters.
He said a member of the gang had on several occasions issued death threats against George.
"All members of the group have turned their back on their leader and therefore remain key suspects in this incident," he said.
He gave the suspects 48 hours to turn themselves in for questioning, or be declared wanted for murder.
The ex-gang leader was accused of mobilising his followers to intimidate voters and help rig elections in 2007, and his death led to fears of fresh violence in Port Harcourt.
Presidential, legislative and state elections are expected in January.
George's death has likewise sparked concerns over the amnesty, which has been credited with bringing relative peace to the oil-producing Niger Delta after years of attacks and kidnappings.
George, the leader of the banned Outlaws group which terrorised Port Harcourt before the government amnesty, was among those who accepted the amnesty granted by late president Umaru Yar'Adua for Niger Delta "oil rebels" after surrendering their arms between August and October last year.
Violence in the region between 2006 to 2009 played havoc with Nigeria's oil production, which dropped from 2.6 million barrels a day to about one million at the peak of the unrest.
But the amnesty has resulted in relative peace in the region, and Nigeria, one of the world's largest oil exporters, currently produces around 2.1 million barrels daily.
A less known militant group in the region, the Niger Delta Liberation Force (NDLF), condemned George's murder and said that the killing had intensified its doubts about the amnesty programme.
"This (murder) is coming at a time when some of us were still apprehensive of the federal government amnesty policy, on government sincerity about our future and the people of Niger Delta," it said in a statement.
Source: AFP
altho he embraced peace months b4 he died, i hope all gangster-loving nigerians wld take a cue from his end. anyways, may his repentant soul find peace...
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