Cult clash claims 4 in Benue, police arrest 13

From Hope Abah Emmanuel, Makurdi A clash between two cult groups has claimed the lives of four people at the Wurukum area of Makurdi in Benue State. Our correspondent gathered that one person was initially killed on Sunday when the disagreement between the cultists began and the other three were killed at different times on […]

From Hope Abah Emmanuel, Makurdi
A clash between two cult groups has claimed the lives of four people at the Wurukum area of Makurdi in Benue State.

Our correspondent gathered that one person was initially killed on Sunday when the disagreement between the cultists began and the other three were killed at different times on Monday night.

The Kindred Head of Wurukum, Chief Simon Ugondo Tov, said he received reports from his subjects that four people were killed within two days in his domain following cult-related activities but he was yet to get full details of the incident.

Tov however posited that he would not allow criminal activities to thrive in his domain, stressing that a meeting of his traditional cabinet would be convened as soon as possible to deliberate on the matter and expose culprits to security agents for the law to take its course.

The Commissioner of Police, Ene Okon, in reply to a text message sent by our correspondent to his mobile phone said, “Suspected cultists killed two persons who are members of rival cult group and the police arrested 13 suspected cultists in that same area.”

Okon added that security had been beefed up around the area.

Meanwhile, residents of major towns in Benue State have decried the resurgence of cult activities in recent times following related killings of nine people in Ushongo penultimate weekend and two others in Otukpo at the weekend.