Cultists strike again, hack man to death in Ogun

Barely a week after cult violence rocked and claimed six lives in Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State, the fragile peace in the town was again ruptured yesterday as suspected cultists hacked a young man to death. The latest incident was said to have happened after argument ensued during a football match at LA Primary School, Oke-Agbo, Ijebu-Igbo.

Though the circumstances surrounding the killing were still sketchy at press time, it was gathered that it happened about 12:40p.m. yesterday, igniting fear about further reprisals despite assurances of adequate security by the authorities. A source said that the victim, whose identity had not been ascertained, was pursued to where he was hacked to death. The source said the assailants, suspected to be members of Eiye Confraternity, fled the scene after killing their target.

The source added: “The incident happened this (yesterday) afternoon when some youths were playing football on the primary school field. It was during the match that some of them engaged in serious argument and before anyone knew what was happening, there was mayhem. We had to run for our lives. “It was later that we got information that one person was killed.

The victim suffered deep machete cuts. No one had expected such killing would occur again bearing in mind that policemen and other security operatives were deployed in the town about a week ago.

” The source lamented that security situation had been relaxed in the town after last Sunday and Monday’s deadly cult violence in which a police inspector, a member of the Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC) and four others were reportedly killed. Several other persons also sustained injuries in the mayhem which prompted the deployment of soldiers and armed policemen to restore normalcy in the town. When contacted yesterday, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the killing, but said normalcy had been restored to the town.

Oyeyemi, however, said the police command had deployed operatives in the town to apprehend the perpetrators and curb further loss of lives. The PPRO added that no suspect had been arrested in connection with the incident. He said: “Yes, it’s true that a cult clash has claimed another life in Ijebu-Igbo. This time, it was during a football match. No suspect has been arrested yet but we have sent reinforcements to the place.

Operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Police Mobile Force (PMF) and Anti-Cultist Unit have been deployed to comb the black spots and hideouts of these people. These are the people that we are looking for, but we will get them arrested. You will remember that the command had arrested 34 suspects in connection with the last cult clash in the town.”

The PPRO, who stated that investigation had already commenced, told our correspondent that the arrested 34 suspects were still in custody. Following the tension generated by the dastardly killings, Governor Ibikunle Amosun warned, last week, that houses harbouring cultists in the state would henceforth be demolished.

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