No fewer than three persons have been killed and three suspects arrested in a fresh clash between rival cult groups in Onne, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Though the names of the cult groups could not be identified, it was gathered that one of the groups had first launched an attack on the other, killing two on Friday. The incident led to a reprisal on Saturday.
The police said one of the notorious cultists identified as ‘Small Lighter’, who had been terrorising the area, was among the three killed in the clash.
It was gathered that some residents of the area fled due to sporadic gunshots from the rival group, which threw the community into confusion.
The state Police Command’s spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident to journalists in Port Harcourt on Sunday.
Iringe-Koko said, “Yes, I can confirm the cult clash. Three persons were killed, and three suspects were arrested.
“From the information available to me, one of the suspects called ‘Small Lighter’ who has been terrorising the Eleme axis, killed one person from the other cult. So, in retaliation, they went after him and killed him. One other was killed earlier, so three persons in all.
“Our men have been deployed to the area and restored calm. The investigation is ongoing to fish out other fleeing suspects and ensure they are prosecuted.”
Meanwhile, the chairman of Eleme LGA, Brain Gokpa, has promised to assist the security operatives to ensure the arrest and prosecution of those behind the killings.
Gokpa, while reacting to the cult clash, called on youths of the Onne community to remain calm and refrain from taking the law into their own hands.
He said, “Security agencies have been deployed to Onne. Everything is under control because we are working with the relevant security agencies, so panic is unnecessary.
“Let me also use this medium to advise Onne youths to be calm. Nobody should take the law into their own hands as security agencies are on top of the situation.”
