Cult war claims 3 in Benin
Photo:
Sun News Publishing
Violent clashes between cult groups, which had abated for some time in
Benin, the Edo State capital resurfaced on Wednesday night and claimed
the lives of three persons and left several others wounded.
The bloody clashes, which occurred in three different locations involved
two rival cult groups, Eiye and Black Axe.
According to sources, in one of the incidents, the victim was killed
during a quarrel, as one of the groups was sharing money allegedly given
to them by politicians.
Two men were riding on a motorcycle when suspected members of the Eiye
confraternity allegedly shot a member of the rival Black Axe cult group
whose name could not be ascertained.
Following the shootings, the Black Axe members were said to have stormed
the Okhoro Road area where the incident occurred, apparently on a
reprisal mission and swooped on two rival members, killing one of them
in the process.
In another incident, members of the Black Axe confraternity were said to
have launched another attack on their opponents at the Zabayo Street,
off Stadium Road junction, where they allegedly hacked one person to
death at about 11pm.
According to sources, one of the victims of the clashes was identified
as Nosa Ebohon a.k.a Biggy, who resided at Ojo Street, Ugbowo, Benin.
He was said to have just graduated from the University of Benin and
waiting call up letter from the NYSC.
Biggy was reportedly killed at about 9a.m after dropping his mother in
her office yesterday.
Sources said he parked his car in front of a drinking joint along
Uwasota, where he was drinking with his friends when suddenly; two
persons reportedly entered the bar and shot at him at close range. His
body has since been deposited at UBTH mortuary.
When contacted, Edo State Police Command spokesman, DSP Anthony Airhuoyo
confirmed the killing of one person at a beer parlour at Okhoro and
said investigations were ongoing, adding that it was only at the
conclusion of the investigation that the police could determine whether
the killing was cult-related or not.
