While the battle to survive the COVID-19 pandemic continues, three youths of Inen community in Oruk Anam council area of Akwa Ibom State were on Monday killed in a cult war.
The Nation learnt the trio lost their lives at different spots during a rival cult clash. The names of the warring cult groups could not be ascertained as at press time.
But our correspondent confirmed that one Otobong Ben Ufenang was killed on Monday by a five-man gang suspected to be cultists.
It was gathered that Late Ufenang was attacked near the Community Primary School, Inen Ikot Etim and his body dismembered by the hoodlums.
Another victim(name unknown) said to have been killed in Odoro Ikot at the boundary village between Ukanafun and OrukAnam council areas.
The third victim was murdered in Inen Ikot Obio Idang even as houses were looted while residents scampered for safety .
An eyewitness at the scene where late Otobong Ben Ufenang was murdered near the community primary school, Ikot Etim said the gang descended on the victim giving him several matchet cuts until he slumped in the pool of his blood.
” They just swoop on the young man accosted him and started giving him some cuts that dismembered his body before he bled and died”
Continuing, the eyewitness who pleaded anonymity for fear of attack said the scene created panic such that residents of Inen Ikot Etim ran away from their houses taking refuge in neighbouring villages.
When Daily Times visited the scene of the incident near the primary school, Inen Ikot Etim on Tuesday, armed policemen were found patrolling the area to restore normalcy while the corpse was taken away by family members.
In a telephone interview, Akwa Ibom Police Public Relations Officer Nnudam Frederick confirmed the incident but insisted that the Divisional Police Officer in the area would ascertain the number of suspects arrested.
” I think the Divisional Police Officer ( DPO) of the area actually called me that there was a clash between two rival cult groups .And as a result of that three persons were killed. Today, I have not heard of any incident again. But the police have been drafted to restore normalcy in the area. The police Van has been positioned there ” he said.
The Nation
