No fewer than five persons are feared to have died between Tuesday and Wednesday, March 19, 20, this year in Urua Ekpa community in Uyo metropolis, Akwa Ibom State, following a battle of supremacy between two rival cult groups.
The cult war which began Tuesday night and prolonged to Wednesday morning was said to have been miffed between members of the deadly Viking confraternity and the dreaded Iceland group.
Though the actual cause of the clash was not fully established, sources, however, speculated that the two groups were allegedly fighting over a girlfriend belonging to a member of one cult group said to be tampered with by a member of another group.
Eyewitnesses said five persons died during the cult unrest.
“At about 9 p.m. on Tuesday when I was returning home from the market, I heard a gunshot down the street and I thought it was a motor tyre bursting, but after some time I heard another gunshot again. It was when I heard the second time that I knew something was wrong.
“A few minutes later, I heard people running and screaming for their lives and by this time the gunshots were everywhere, there was sporadic shooting.
“Since Tuesday, this area has been under serious security threat. We could not sleep last night. Three persons including one of our neighbours have been killed,” a source who pleaded anonymity said.
Another witness who operates a barbing saloon in the neighbourhood, who identified himself as Akpan said “There was a big problem here in this neighbouhood this morning. The guys started the unrest since yesterday (Tuesday), they continued till this morning (Wednesady) and I can confirm to you that two persons have died in this our street.
“I was preparing to come to my barbing saloon this morning, when a group of guys started chasing our neigbour from here, they later caught up with him down the Street, where they mercilessly murdered him.”
Our correspondent reports that many innocent residents of the area have lost their phones, hand bags, jeweries, cash and other variables in the process of running for their dear lives.
The spokesman of the state police command, Odiko Macdon, confirmed the incident in a text message sent to our correspondent.
He said: “The Akwa Ibom Police Public Officer of the Command received a distress call about a clash between two rival cult groups around Urua Ekpa area. The Commissioner of Police ordered immediate deployment. Two persons have been arrested. No life confirmed loss.
“Investigation is ongoing, but normalcy has been restored. However, the command will not tolerate any act from any quarters that will truncate the peaceful disposition of the state. Those concerned must desist forthwith.”
