Gunmen killed Golden Isi, former National Vice Chairman of Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, on Sunday near Port Harcourt, the capital city of Nigeria's southeastern Rivers state.

Isi, who is also the President of Rumuolumeni Youth Council and one of the staff of Aker Oil Services Ltd., was killed in his home in Minikpiti in Rumuolumeni, near Port Harcourt, said the local police.

Isi's neighbors said the heavily-armed men took everybody by surprise, shooting sporadically in air before attacking their target.

Some of his neighbors, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Isi's death might be connected with companies, including oil firms operating in the area, according to local media.

The sources noted that Isi had recently been hooking some influential persons for excluding other members of the community to benefit from the activities of companies in the area.

Following Isi's killing, tension has been aroused in the Rumuolumeni community which hosts more than 50 construction and oil servicing companies.