​I warned them to stay indoors —Prophetess who lost husband, two children in Rivers New Year eve killings .

Comfort Ordu, a prophetess, who lost husband, two children in Rivers New Year eve killings, has recounted how she warned them against going out on the night, 17 people were massacred in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA Of Rivers State.

In an interview with TheNation, she said: “On that fateful day, December 31, 2017, I gathered the members of my family and prayed with them. After the prayers, which was past midnight, I announced to everybody not to leave the gate that night because there was danger looming in the air. Then I went to bed. .

At about 2 am, I discovered that two of my children, a boy and a girl, were not in the house. I understood they had gone out to a place where other youths had organised a carnival on the street. .

I requested that someone should go there and bring them back to the house, but I was told that their father had gone to look for them. Suddenly, I noticed that one of my sons and my nephew who lives with us ran into the house. .

Then some persons, six in number, who were dressed in black clothes and black fez cap, walked into the house, saying that government had sent them to come to the house. I quickly hid myself inside the house, but I overheard everything that they said.

My cousin who was with us stopped them at the sitting room and interrogated them. After a moment, I saw them walk out of the house. .

They probably noticed that there was no other person in the house or they could not find the actual person they were looking for. As they were leaving the gate, they met a boy named Saviour, who was my son’s friend. .

They killed him instantly. While these were happening, I did not know that they had already met and killed my husband, our two children and a friend to my late daughter while they were coming back from the venue of the carnival.” .

Asked if the family had issues with anyone, she said there was nothing like that. “We are not involved in politics and we are not in any cult group. I am not in any kind of association. My sole job is to pray for people to get them out of their problems and needs.”