Renewed clash between two rival cult groups in Inen Clan, Oruk Anam Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State has consumed two persons.
The months-old melee for supremacy between Debam and Iceland confraternities occurred in Mbiaso Village where the two persons were killed.
Our correspondent in the area gathered that the suspected cultists also kidnapped one primary school teacher from Inen Okuruk Village.
It was gathered that the suspected cultists invaded Mbiaso Village on Wednesday night to revenge rival cult members who had killed their members in the area, forcing many innocent villagers to flee to neighbouring communities.
“By 2:30 a.m. last night, there was confusion as cultists surrounded the whole village in search of rival cult members. They caught these boys in their compound and took them to nearby bush where they were killed.
“One of them was beheaded while the other got several machete cuts on the head as he screamed and bled to death,” an eye witness narrated.
It was further learned that the suspected cultists went berserk and kidnapped a female teacher at Inen Okuruk, a neighbouring village and seized cell phones from other victims in the compound.
The teacher simply identified as Etimbuk Saturday Adiaka was abducted in her family compound when the suspected cultists went from door to door, raiding the village in search of rival cult members.
An eyewitness who pleaded anonymity said when the teacher was abducted, neighbours who refused to run pleaded with the “boys” to leave her, but they forcefully whisked the victim away.
“After we have surrendered all our phones to the hoodlums, we begged them to spare Etimbuk but they refused. Since then, they could not mention their ransom.”
In a telephone interview, SP Odiko Mcdon, Akwa Ibom Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed the death of two suspected rival cult members in Mbiaso village, but maintained that the command was not aware of the abduction of the female school teacher in the area.
“The Command is aware of the killing of two rival cult members in Mbiaso village. Operations code-named ‘Crocodile Dance’ was ongoing in the area.
“Special Technical Operation is on ground in the area to raid the community from cultists and return peace to the area.
“Investigation is ongoing to arrest all perpetrators of violence there Very soon, peace would return to the area,” he stated.
