Cultists set man ablaze in Edo

Gunmen suspected to be cultists allegedly set a man ablaze on Ozolua Street, off First East Circular Road, in Benin City, the Edo State capital, in a renewed cult war. It was gathered that the deceased, simply identified as Osazuwa, was shot several times by his assailants and thereafter set on fire. A source said, […]

Gunmen suspected to be cultists allegedly set a man ablaze on Ozolua Street, off First East Circular Road, in Benin City, the Edo State capital, in a renewed cult war.

It was gathered that the deceased, simply identified as Osazuwa, was shot several times by his assailants and thereafter set on fire.

A source said, “They shot at him severally while he was trying to escape from them but the bullets didn’t penetrate. They got hold of him, poured petrol on him and set him on fire.”

He said the gunmen, numbering about eight, after setting him on fire, watched as he burnt to death before leaving the scene.

It was gathered that three persons had earlier been killed in a rival cult war on Friday in the area which began with the killing of a man, simply identified as Okpoko Okpoko, a textile dealer, at his residence on Ogimwenken Street, off Upper Uwa Road in Benin.

It was further gathered that there was uneasy calm among rival cult groups in the metropolis as they had not been able to identify the group that was responsible for the renewed killings.

When contacted, police spokesman in Edo, Moses Nkombe, said he was not aware of the killings.

However, he gave assurance of adequate police protection of life and property in the state.