Five Feared Killed in Renewed Cult Clash in Bayelsa
— CP orders crackdown, arrest of cult leaders, sponsors
BY SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
Five persons are feared killed following renewed clashes between rival cult groups in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa capital.
The violence, which erupted on Friday, reportedly involved members of the Bobos and Greenlanders cult groups.
The clashes were recorded in Agudama, Obele and Back of St. Peters areas of the state capital, sources said.
The renewed violence is believed to have disrupted a peace accord previously reached among cult groups through the efforts of the former leadership of the State Police Command.
Sources said the development could also undermine an existing understanding between members of the Greenlanders and Icelanders groups.
One source said the first reported killing occurred in Agudama, where a youth was allegedly attacked and beheaded.
Another cult member was reportedly shot in the buttocks but was rescued by a neighbour. His condition could not be immediately ascertained.
The circumstances that triggered the latest violence remained unclear at the time of filing this report.
However, residents said the Bobos and Greenlanders had remained rivals despite previous efforts to broker peace among cult groups.
Checks around Imgbi Road, Ovom and Obele, identified as cult activity hotspots, showed a noticeable absence of youths suspected to be involved in cult activities.
Residents said some of the youths had reportedly gone into hiding amid fears of police arrest or attacks by rival groups.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Ajao Saka Adewale, has ordered intensified operations against cultism and cult-related violence across Bayelsa.
A statement by the Command said the CP directed Divisional Police Officers and tactical commanders to increase patrols in vulnerable areas.
He also ordered them to identify emerging threats and act promptly on credible intelligence about planned clashes, initiation ceremonies and recruitment.
The Command said it was strengthening engagement with community leaders to identify tensions early and prevent violence.
It added that whenever an attack occurs, officers would secure the area, investigate those responsible and prevent retaliatory attacks.
The CP warned cult groups against attacks and reprisals, saying the police would pursue members and their sponsors.
“There will be no sacred cows,” the CP said, warning anyone involved in organising, financing, facilitating or participating in cult-related crimes.
The Command said offenders would be investigated irrespective of their status or influence and prosecuted where evidence warranted.
It also reminded residents that the Bayelsa State Secret Cults/Societies and Similar Activities (Prohibition) Law, 2012, as amended in 2018, prohibits membership and sponsorship of secret cults.
The police urged parents and guardians to caution their children and wards against cult involvement.
Residents were also advised to report planned attacks, recruitment activities and other cult-related activities to the nearest police station.
The Command warned against reprisal attacks, harbouring suspects and spreading rumours capable of escalating the situation.
It urged residents to report threats promptly and avoid taking the
law into their own hands.
Jude Ossai (JP) a veteran journalist is a National Diploma holder in Mass Communication from Ogwashi-Uku Polytechnic Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State. He also studied at Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Enugu and Imo State University, Owerri for his first and second degrees in Mass Communication, respectively.
He writes extensively on politics, crime, corruption, climate change, healthcare, human rights, social justice, among others.
He began his journalism career in The Republic Newspaper, Lagos in 1987 as a Special Correspondent in Benin City, Edo State.
In 1990, he was posted from Lagos to old Anambra State as a State Correspondent in Enugu.
In 1994, he joined the African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, Ibadan, Oyo State, Publisher of Nigerian Tribune Newspapers where he rose to the rank of Southeast Bureau Chief.
Retiring from the mainstream traditional media in 2019, he began another journey in online newspaper publication.
He was the Overall Best Reporter in 2015, an award bestowed on him by Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Enugu State.
He has attended several workshops/seminars organised by multi-nationals, government institutions, local and international media including BBC.
He is also a unionist and had held top positions as Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists of Enugu Correspondents’ Chapel and State Council of NUJ, respectively. He was also a one-time Enugu State Secretary of Sports Writers’ Association of Nigeria (SWAN).
