By Jimitota Onoyume & Davies Iheamnachor

28 persons were feared  killed in Rivers State yesterday.

A community source told Sunday Vanguard that 16 were shot dead in Aluu, nine in  Omagua and three in Isiokpo, all in Ikwerre local government area.

The source said two naval officers, a  police  inspector and a nursing mother were among those killed.

Chairman, Ogbakor Aluu, Mr Benson Gershon, confirmed the incident in his Aluu community to Sunday Vanguard. The Chairman, who said he was in a meeting at press  time, said the gunmen stormed the community  shooting sporadically.

The incident sparked tension in Aluu, Omagua and Isiokpo communities with residents fleeing.

Caretaker Committee Chairman of Ikwerre local government area, where the communities are, Mr Sam Wonosike, could not be reached when  Sunday Vanguard tried to call him on phone.

Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Muhammad, had told Sunday Vanguard before news of the incident  filtered into Port Harcourt, the state capital,  that he was out of the state on a  21-day assignment. His deputy,  ASP Grace Koko, simply declined to comment on the development.