Over five persons had been feared killed in last
two days in various cult related clashes in Benin City,the Edo State capital.The clashes we gathered was between Eiye and Aye Confraternities
It was gathered that some of the active participants were among those who recently escaped from the Benin and Oko prisons as they continued their war of supremacy.
The clashes happened in some dark spots like Upper Sokponba, Ogida and New Benin areas of Benin City
Thursday morning, some armed men took over areas in Upper Sokponba Road brandishing dangerous weapons and harassing motorists some of the suspected cultists have also been cashing on the near zero security presence in the state capital to rob motorists and road users.
Two people were reportedly killed in Idogbo ; one close to a filling station after the Ikpoba-Okha local government area secretariat and another near Y-Junction also along the same SokponbaRoad. Another two including one said to be a father of four and the other said to be an escapee from one of the prisons were also killed near Ogida Barracks. One person was earlier killed on Wednesday near Constain area in New Benin.
On Wednesday some gunmen took over Siluko Road near Ogida Barracks brandishing guns and forced all those trekking to raise up their hands while several motorists turned back.
A resident in Upper Sokponba Road,who does not want his name in print said: “We have been living in fear in this area and other parts of the state capital. By 5 to 6 pm, people run away into their houses because these boys openly brandish their weapons robbing and harassing people. This morning (Thursday) two people were killed which we later learnt belong to rival cult groups”
But when contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Chidi Nwabuzor simply said “we are in a meeting”.
