From Blessing Ibunge, Port Harcourt
No fewer than eight persons were killed at the weekend in Okporowo village in Ogbakiri town, Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, following gun battle between members of same cult group.
The AUTHORITY gathered that the victims were members of the dreaded “Deygbam cult group”.
The clash which started late hours of Friday into Saturday, left several members of the cult group with gun-shot injuries.
A source who pleaded anonymity for fear of being attacked, disclosed that the clash was between older and new generation members of the cult group.
The source also disclosed that the new generation had dispossessed the older members of the deadly group of the guns they use for their operations, claiming that the older members were no longer vibrant.
It was learned that the older members had returned to the community to assert their position leading to the clash.
The source said: “Their young ones have been in the move to take over the leadership of the cult. They had taken some of their guns and chased the older people away.
“It is like the older members came back to the community and they clashed with the younger ones. All the people that died were cultists”.
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Nnamdi Omoni, confirmed the incident.
He said six persons were killed, but that normalcy had been restored in area.
Said the PPRO: “About six persons died in the cult clash in Ogbakiri. That night, our men, the DPO and other officers were fully mobilised to the scene of the incident and we restored normalcy. Right now, we are still there guarding against a possible reprisal attack”.
Reacting, the a civil society group, the Civil Rights Council, Rivers State Chapter, called on security agencies to live up to its responsibility of protecting lives and property. Leader of the group, Mr. Prince Wiro, caleld for restraint.
