Renewed cult clashes among three dreaded cult groups in Akpabuyo/Bakassi Local Government Area of Cross River State have led to the death of no fewer than 15 suspected cultists, with many others injured.
It was gathered that the clash, which started on Monday among the cult groups: Skyro, Mafia and Black Scorpion, had been a recurrent decimal in the locality as the group battle for supremacy.
The activities of these groups, it was further gathered, led to many of the residents abandoning their homes to seek refuge somewhere else, while the cultist had field days, as economic and social activities in the area remained paralysed.
A source in the locality, who did not want his name in prints, told newsmen that the activities of the cult group had become worrisome and called for the intervention of security operatives.
“This time, the operation was bloody. Imagine one of the suspected cult group took their members to a local charm doctor to prepare bulletproof charm and when they tested it by shooting one of them, he died on the spot,” the source volunteered.
He added that the suspected cultists destroyed some houses and other properties worth millions of naira in the area.
The chairman of Bakassi Local Government Area, Iyadim Iyadim, confirmed the incident, regretting the actions of the cult groups.
“There are lots of killings in the area. It’s cult-related but I have not heard of the destruction of houses.
“The last boy who died, his colleagues took him for charm preparation, to prepare charm for them so that bullets and other dangerous weapons will not penetrate their body,” Iyadim said.
“When he was put on trial, to ascertain the efficacy of the charm, he was shot and he died. That cult group lost three persons coupled with the ones the rival group killed.
“Up to 10 persons have been killed and the operations started last two months and extended to this month (May); that is March, April and May”, the Bakassi council boss added.
“We have reported the matter to the government and on Tuesday, we had a security meeting with the governor,” he stated.
Iyadim further explained that his local government had no operational base as the secretariat was destroyed during the #EndSARS protests in 2020.
