Five persons have been reportedly killed at the weekend while several others were seriously injured in a bloody clash in three different locations between two rival cult groups, the Eiye and Black Axe in Benin, the Edo State capital.
Daily Sun gathered that the victims were killed during a quarrel, as one of the groups was sharing money allegedly given to them by politicians during the conduct of primaries by one of the political parties in the state.
It was learnt that two men riding on a motorcycle, suspected to be members of the Eiye confraternity shot a member of a rival Black Axe cult group whose name was identified as Tony Idemudia at Uwelu, near Ogida area of the city. As soon as this happened, the Black Axe members were said to have stormed the Texiles Mill Road area apparently on a reprisal mission and swooped on two rival members killing them in the process.
Not satisfied, members of the Black Axe confraternity were said to have retreated and launched another attack on their opponents at the Second East Circular junction also in the state capital, where they shot two persons to death. One of the victims of the onslaught was identified as Osas.
The bloody scenes had left the residents of the affected areas scampering for safety. When contacted , the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Peter Ogboi failed to confirm the incident..
However, Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. David Omojola said nine persons had been arrested in connection with the incident. He attributed the killings to rival cult gangs and promised that those involved in the killings would be prosecuted, adding that investigations were on to unravel the circumstances surrounding the clash.
The corpses of the cult members have been taken to the morgue of the Central Hospital, Benin by policemen from the state command.
Previously in May 2010
The relative peace in Edo State was disrupted when cult groups clashed in Benin City, leaving 11 persons dead.
Gov. Adams Oshiomhole, Edo State Governor.
The clash was between two rival groups, the Eiye and Black Axe confraternities.
P.M.NEWS gathered yesterday that the battle, which took place last weekend, was a spill over from College of Education, Ekiadolor, near Benin City where cult rivalry claimed two lives recently.
Police sources confirmed the death of eight persons and six persons on danger list at different hospitals in Benin City.
Investigation revealed that Ogida and Useh quarters were the worse hit, recording a death toll of seven within six hours last Thursday.
Eye witnesses said that the cultists attacked their victims as soon as they dropped off the vehicles that brought them. It was further revealed that they pursued some of the victims to their family houses, killing some even in the presence of their parents.
One of the victims is called Erokpadamwen Asemota who was shot dead along with others at Useh quarters.
Bewildered residents who could no longer endure the war decided to appeal to security agencies and relevant bodies to intervene as lives and economic activities have been endangered in the area.
The hitmen and their victims are said to be in their twenties and some were alleged to be students of College of Education, Ekiadolor.
Describing the incident as unfortunate, the spokesman of Edo State Police command, ASP Peter Ogboi, stated that they intervened in good time to arrest the situation .
A bloody cult war between Black Axe and Maphite Confraternity reportedly claimed over 15 lives last March in Benin City.
—Yomi Obaditan/Benin
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