5 feared dead in Edo cult clash
Tony Osauzo, Benin
No less than five persons have been reportedly killed in the last two days in Benin City as a result of suspected cult related clash between members suspected to belong to Eiye and Aye confraternities.
Some of the active participants are believed to be among those who recently escaped from the Benin and Oko prisons, following recent jailbreaks at the two Correctional Centres facilitated by hoodlums who hijacked the peaceful #EndSARS protest in Benin.
The combatants, many of who were said to be in jail, are believed to be continuing their war of supremacy.
The clashes are reported to have mostly happened in Upper Sokponba, Ogida and New Benin areas of Benin City.
It was learnt that some armed men, yesterday morning, took over areas in Upper Sokponba Road, brandishing dangerous weapons and harassing motorists, even as some of the suspected cultists were said to be cashing on the absence of policemen on the streets in state capital, to rob motorists and road users.
At Idogbo, headquarters of Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area, two people were reportedly killed yesterday with one of the victims said to be close to a filling station after the local government secretariat and another near Y-Junction, also along the same Sokponba Road.
Two other persons, including a father of four and the other said to be an escapee from one of the prisons, were also reportedly killed near Ogida barracks, just as one person was said to have been earlier killed on Wednesday near Constain area in New Benin.
Some gunmen were also said to have taken over Siluko Road near Ogida barrack, on Wednesday, brandishing guns and forced all those trekking to raise up their hands while several motorists turned back.
Commenting on the situation yesterday, a resident of Upper Sokponba Road, said “We have been living in fear in this area and other parts of the state capital. By 5 to 6 pm, people run away into their houses because these boys openly brandish their weapons, robbing and harassing people.
“This morning (yesterday), two people were killed which we later learnt belong to rival cult groups”, he added.
When contacted for comment, Spokesman of the Edo State Police Command, Chidi Nwabuzor, a Superintendent of Police, said “we are in a meeting”.
