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Suspected cultists have shot the mother of a former councillor in the Port Harcourt Local Government Area, Rivers State, over the refusal of her son identified simply as Endurance to pay an election security fee to them.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the incident happened on Egede Street, Mile 2, in the Diobu Port Harcourt area of the state.

An eyewitness, who spoke anonymously to our correspondent for security reasons, said the suspected cultists led by one Zubi met the Endurance at the front of his house on Egede Street and demanded he pays the said fee.

“But the ex-councillor said he didn’t have any money to give them. So, I think the suspected cultists became angry and started throwing bottles into his compound. Mr Endurance ran into his house and the suspected cultists opened fire on him. The former councillor narrowly escaped the bullet which struck his mother,” the source said.

The eyewitness said the hoodlums escaped after perpetrating the crime as residents in the area alerted reported the case at the Azikiwe Police Division from where policemen were deployed to the scene of the attack.

It was learnt that the Endurance’s mother who sustained bullet wounds was rushed to an undisclosed hospital where she had been receiving treatment.

Contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident.