Cult clash claims 3 lives in Edo

Three persons have been killed in Benin, the Edo State capital, in renewed fight between rival cult groups in the state. It was gathered that the victims, whose identities could not be ascertained, were killed at Upper Sakpoba area of Benin in what appeared as reprisal attacks. In one of the attacks, a man simply […]

Three persons have been killed in Benin, the Edo State capital, in renewed fight between rival cult groups in the state.

It was gathered that the victims, whose identities could not be ascertained, were killed at Upper Sakpoba area of Benin in what appeared as reprisal attacks.

In one of the attacks, a man simply identified as Africa was said to have been killed on Tuesday morning at his beer parlour, located at Uyiosa Junction, Upper Sakponba.

It was gathered that his assailants dragged him out of his beer parlour and shot him severally and that when they discovered that bullets could not penetrate him, they allegedly used machete to hack him.

It was further gathered that two other victims were killed with axe at about 2pm also in Upper Sakpoba.

The bodies of the victims were sighted inside a police van that deposited the corpses at the Benin Specialist Hospital.

It was gathered that the cult clash, said to be between two confraternities, started on Saturday and had so far claimed five persons.

It would be recalled that a hotel manager, Okunkpolor Osatohamwen, was also killed at the hotel on Sunday by yet to be identified gunmen.

When contacted on phone, the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hakeem Odumosu, said he was in Kano on election duty.

Also, the spokesman of the command, Chidi Nwabuzor, could not be reached for comments, as calls to his mobile phone were not answered.

Meanwhile, the  state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalisits (NUJ), has condemned the unabated cult-related killings in Benin.

A statement signed by the council chairman and secretary, Sir Roland Osakue and Titus Akhigbe, described the development as unwarranted killings.

“The Union condemns the unending cult-related killings and we call on security agencies in Edo State to quickly nip it in the bud before it degenerates to a full-blown battle between the rival cult groups.

“Two days ago, precisely Monday, Mr. Okunkpolor Osatohamwen Von, the husband of a journalist in Edo was shot dead in cold blood at his place of work in Upper Sakponba area,” the statement read in part.