Cult war: 16 killed in Rivers communities

From: Tony John, Port Har­court

NO fewer than 16 persons were feared dead in cult war supremacy in Ikwerre and Etche Local Government Ar­eas of Rivers State.

Sunday Sun gathered that armed men on Friday night invaded Omuoda, Omuigwe, Omuahunwo and Omuchiolu communities in Ikwerre Lo­cal Government Area, where about 14 persons, including a nursing mother and baby were shot death. Sources from the Aluu town in Ikwerre Lo­cal Government and some of the affected communities said houses were razed by the armed invaders and people have fled the place for fear of reprisal attack.

According to sources, people now live in fear, as the supremacy cult battle between Icelanders and Degbam rages on.

Yesterday, security op­eratives were on red alert in readiness for any eventuality in Aluu communities. A com­munity source, who did not want his name in print for fear of attack, confirmed that the clash was between Degbam and Iceland. In the ensuing encounter, he said, 14 people lost their lives, while some es­caped with bullet wounds.

He said many people had deserted the community be­cause of the threat of reprisal attack by the rival group.

In a related development, two other persons were also allegedly killed in a sepa­rate cult clash in Obite com­munity in Etche Local Gov­ernment Area of the state. A source, who witnessed the heavy shooting, said the cult group invaded the community at about 9 pm, destroyed and looted people’s property.

One of the deceased vic­tims was said to have been shot dead as a result of mis­taken identity, as the group took him for the chief security officer of the community.

At the time of filing the report, the state police com­mand was  yet to confirm the incident.