One person was killed at the Iju Ishaga area of Ogun State, when suspected cultists attacked residents of the community.
The incident left some residents of the community with various degrees of injuries they sustained during the inter-cult clash.
According to some residents, last Monday, a violent fight had broken out between members of the Eiye confraternity and Axe cult groups before it degenerated into an attack on some other residents of the area.
An eyewitness, Laide Hassan, told our correspondent that the cultists had held the residents hostage with their nefarious and violent activities for long.
Hassan said, “These cult groups are very dreaded here and nobody wants to talk for the fear of being attacked. But I can tell you that the cause of this fight between the cult groups was a fallout from a recently held party in the community.
“A party was held recently in this area and a disagreement ensued in the process and a member of one of the cult groups was injured. The group quickly mobilised for a reprisal and that was what led to the breach of the peace in the community.”
A commercial motorcycle operator in the area, Bright Onu, told our correspondent that the cult groups had laid siege to the community over a long time.
“The activities of these cult groups are becoming unbearable. I think this is as a result of the unemployment situation in the country. Most times, when you go through this vicinity, you see a lot of youths that ordinarily should be in school, smoking weed and they belong to one cult group or the other. With any little provocation, they hit the streets and cause mayhem,” he said.
A community leader in the area, Hon. Moshood Salimi, said the community, which, not too long ago, battled the menace of armed robbers, was now confronted with the violent activities of cult
groups.
“We thought we had conquered armed robbery in this community with the help of the police, until cultists surfaced recently. As I talk to you, our people are now living in serious fear because of these people,” he said.
A petty trader in the community, Mrs. Juliet Ofor, called on the police to check the cult groups as their nefarious activities were hampering commercial activities in the community.
“I call on the police to do more in checkmating the activities of the cult groups. I know they are trying, but they should do more because, right now, our businesses are being affected. Each time these boys go on the rampage, we scamper to safety. Everyone runs for his/her life and businesses are shut down abruptly. Their violent strikes are becoming too often and we have to shut our businesses at 6pm on a daily basis, which is not good enough,” Ofor said.
The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the incident, adding, “Police investigation will unravel the perpetrators.”
