Residents decry rising cult activities in Zuba

Residents of Zuba in Gwagwalada Area Council have expressed concern over the rise in activities of cultists in the area. Some residents, who spoke with our reporter in Zuba yesterday, said suspected members have now turned the metropolis into a theater of ‘war’ where cult groups now engage one another. A resident, Chizoba Ifeanyi, said […]

Residents of Zuba in Gwagwalada Area Council have expressed concern over the rise in activities of cultists in the area.

Some residents, who spoke with our reporter in Zuba yesterday, said suspected members have now turned the metropolis into a theater of ‘war’ where cult groups now engage one another.

A resident, Chizoba Ifeanyi, said a suspected cultist group had clashed with another over girlfriends last week, what he said threw residents of the area into pandemonium.

He added that the constant clash between the two cult groups also forced some residents to remain indoors due to sporadic shooting, saying two passers-by were hit by bullets.

“In fact, just three days ago, the same group of suspected cult members again clashed, which left one of their gang members with deep machete cut, “ he said.

He said the victim was found lying along a street the next  morning before vigilante later got information and came to the scene to convey the victim to the hospital in the area.

Another resident, Ibrahim Usman, said there was no day that passed by without a reported incident of cult clash in the area, a situation he said has now put fear into residents of the area.

“Despite the fact that vigilante members sometimes go after them, especially at night clubs, they either engage or attack innocent people that are passing by,” he said.

He said many residents, especially those residing along Yimi-Machada axis in the area now remain indoors when it is 9: pm over fear of being attacked by the cult members.

A member of vigilante, who preferred anonymity, said two of the suspected cult members have been arrested in the area after another bloody clash with another group in the area.

Mrs Chizoba Isaac, who owns a restaurant in the area, said she normally attends to customers till 9: pm, but said she was forced to close her shops when it was 6: pm over fear of cult activities.

“In fact, I normally sell till 9: pm before I close, but within the last 3 weeks, cases of cult clashes no longer allow me to stay up till 9: pm again as many residents now remain indoors because of cult activities in Zuba, “ she said.

She disclosed that the two suspects were after one of the gang member’s who was newly initiated into the cult, but later tried to withdraw from the group, which he said they have been threatening his life.

“It was through one of their members who was initiated into the group, as they have been threatening him for trying to withdraw from cultism, which he went to the police station to report,” he said.

He said the suspect, who has confessed to be a member of the cult group was currently helping the security agents with useful information that would lead to arrest of other gang members in the area.

“And even as I speak to you right, a knife and cutlass were recovered with one of the suspects, “ he said.

A policeman at Zuba division, who preferred anonymity, confirmed the arrest of two suspected cult members, which he said are still under interrogation.

The spokesman of the FCT police command, DSP Anjuguri Manza, did not pick calls or reply text messages sent to his phone as at the time of filing this report.