From TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
Eight persons have been killed and four beheaded in a renewed cult clash in Ibaa community in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The victims were murdered by suspected armed cultists, who stormed the community at the wee hours of yesterday, in a reprisal attack.
A community source, who preferred to speak on condition of anonymity, said that the cultists invaded the community at 3am.
The source alleged that Deygbam cultists visited the community to avenge the death of their member, who was murdered in June, by the Icelanders.
The source said, “Some cultists invaded the community and killed eight people. They killed and beheaded four people. The resident are living in fear, but the killers were shouting in the night that we should not run that they know the people they are looking for”.
He called on the state government and security operatives to send reinforcement and restore peace in the troubled community.”
The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Nnamdi Omoni, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), has confirmed the development in Ibaa community to journalists.
Omoni could not ascertain the number of casualties involved, but added that security had been deployed to the cult-ravaged community to restore normalcy.
He also said that investigation was ongoing to track down the persons or group behind the dastardly act.
Omoni said, “Cultists invaded the community and killed some people believed to be rival cultists in reprisal attack. It is a cult-related incident. The police are aware of it. The Commissioner of Police in the state has mobilised personnel to the community to restore peace and smoke out the perpetrators of the act.”