One Shot Dead As Rivers Cult War Spreads

Published

2 years ago

April 20, 2023

Editor

The recent clash among rival cult groups in the Diobu axis of Port Harcourt continued on Wednesday night with one shot dead.

The latest victim, popularly known as Asari, who was in his twenties, was killed at about 7:55 pm along Ekwe/Ikwerre road, Mile 3 Diobu in the metropolis.

Eyewitnesses said ‘Asari’ was standing with some persons when about five armed men came out from a car, rained bullets on him and zoomed off.

The PUNCH correspondent who visited the area on Thursday morning gathered from sources that the killing was said to be a supremacy war between two suspected factions of ‘D12 and Blackies’ cult gangs.

One of the eyewitnesses told our correspondent that the cult groups have alliances.

“The Deygbam cult groups (History and Black Axe Houses) that are affiliated to the D12 and BS houses of Deygbam cult groups respectively

“They were recently engaged in a shoot out at Elechi beach in Mile 1 Diobu PortHarcourt last Tuesday which claimed two lives. Now the war has spread to Mile 3,” the source said.

It was also gathered that the shooting caused pandemonium, as passersby, road users and commuters scampered to safety while roadside traders within the scene hurriedly closed business for the day.

Speaking of the incident, a vigilante and Chief Security Officer of Nkpolu Oroworukwo in Mile 3 Diobu, Godstime Ihunwo, confirmed the identity of the victim.

He disclosed that persons believed to be members of the victim’s cult gang carted away his corpse before his team and policemen returned to the scene.

Ihunwo stated, “At about 8 pm on Wednesday, we heard two gunshots at IKwerre road /Ekwe Street opposite Bishop Okoye Street and quickly rushed down to the scene.

“On reaching there, we saw a young man known and called ‘Asari’ laying dead and immediately we approached the Nkpolu Police station to tender our report.

“As we and the police were coming back to inspect the corpse, we got a report that some unknown gunmen drove with one Jetta and one Mazda and made away with the corpse.”

When contacted, the spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said she heard about the incident but was yet to be briefed officially on it.

“I will get back to you as soon as I receive the situation report this morning,” Iringe-Koko said.

JUST IN: Many Killed As Soldiers, Bandits Exchange Gunfire In Kaduna

Published

7 hours ago

June 25, 2025

Editor

Scores of bandits and some military personnel have been killed following a gun battle in Niger and Kaduna States.

Nigerian Army Headquarters made the disclosure in a statement posted on its official X handle on Wednesday.

The statement said the operations were carried out in Kwanar Dutse Mairiga and Boka, Niger State, and Aungwan Turai, Chikun Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State.

The daredevil terrorists had launched an unprovoked attack on the aforementioned areas.

REAS ALSO:Police Neutralise Bandit, Rescue 5 Kidnapped Victims In Katsina

According to the statement, in response to the attacks, “land and air component troops launched several counter-attacks that eliminated scores of bandits in the encounters.

“Sadly, some gallant warriors paid the supreme price in the day-long battles, while four wounded in-action troops are currently receiving treatment for their gunshot wounds. Additional updates later.”

Metro

Police Detain 3 Nsukka Masqueraders For Allegedly Assaulting Residents

Published

19 hours ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

The police command in Enugu State has detained three masqueraders in the Nsukka area of the state for allegedly assaulting law-abiding citizens.

The command’s spokesman, SP Daniel Ndukwe, said in a statement in Enugu on Tuesday that police operatives, with the assistance of members of the community, led to the arrest of the suspects on June 23 at 3:30 p.m.

He said that the arrest of the suspects was in connection with the alleged physical assault of citizens by the ‘Oriokpa’ Masquerade group on June 22 as seen in a viral video.

“The suspects, along with others still at large, took advantage of the ‘Oriokpa’ Masquerade celebration to assault several innocent members of the public, inflicting bodily injuries on them.

“One of the victims was hospitalised for treatment due to injuries sustained during the attack.

“The masqueraders initially resisted police arrest and fled the scene.

“However, with the assistance of law-abiding community members, the three suspects were later identified and apprehended,” he said.

The spokesman said that the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr Mamman Giwa, had ordered a thorough investigation into the case to ensure that justice was served.

Ndukwe quoted the commissioner as saying that masquerade celebration was a sacred and symbolic aspect of the nation’s culture.

He said that the state police chief, however, decried the actions of those who exploited the occasion to commit criminal acts.

Ndukwe said that the commissioner warned against the use of cultural festivities as a cover for fomenting trouble and committing crimes against fellow citizens, as perpetrated by the ‘Oriokpa’ masqueraders.

“The command is assuring the public that all those involved in the assault of law-abiding citizens will be brought to justice,” he added.

(NAN)

Metro

Edo Police Arrest Four Suspected Cultists

Published

23 hours ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

Edo Police Command said it has arrested four suspected cultists allegedly responsible for cult violence in Auchi and its environs of the state.

In a statement, the command’s Public Relations Officer, CSP Moses Yamu said, the suspects, who were arrested during a joint operation, belong to different cultist groups.

The statement reads partly, “On 22/06/2025, operatives of the Command’s Anti-Cultism Unit in a joint operation with Jattu and Auchi Divisions embarked on a house-to-house arrest of cultists.

“These four (4) suspects were arrested in various locations in Auchi; Musa Murphy 25yrs of No 35 Ogeneni area Jattu, Auchi a member of Arobaga Confraternity, Gabriel Moses 25yrs of ECocota-Community, Auchi a member of Aye Confraternity, Michael Ayo 23yrs of No1 Emeke Uzuire, Auchi member of Eiye Confraternity and Philip Sunday 24yrs of Ebira camp, Auchi a member of Vikings Confraternity.”

Yamu expressed the state Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika’s assurance to the “general public of the Command’s resolve to rid the State of cultism while the suspects would be charged to court as soon as the investigation is concluded.”