Seven persons have been reportedly killed and several
others injured after two rival cult groups clashed in
Otukpo area of Benue State.
According to eyewitnesses, the crisis started last
Saturday close to the Saint Francis College, Otukpo, over
power supremacy between two deadly rival cult groups.
The violence later spread to Oiji Street, Sabon-Gari and
Ojira areas of the same town.
According to an eyewitness, “It all started like a joke,
when some young men were initially throwing fireworks at
one another but within a short time, they pulled out guns
and it became a serious affair.
“For two days, young men residing around Saint Francis
College (Ogwonuigbahapa) Oiji Street, Sabon-Gari and
Ojira engaged one another in a battle to take over control
of the town.
“They shot at each other in the name of belonging to rival
cult groups and people were scampering all over the town
for safety for fear of being hit by stray bullets.
“It took the intervention of the Police, who drafted men
into Otukpo to check further spread of the crisis, but
before then, several persons had been killed while many
others sustained bullet injuries.”
Meanwhile, the Secretary General of the Opiatoha
K’Idoma, the mother umbrella body of Idoma sons and
daughters, Chief Adoka Adaji, has totally condemned the
bloody acts as well the resultant killings.
He further appealed to the security agencies to check
further escalation of the crisis.
Adaji said: “We condemn in strong terms the cult related
crisis in Idoma land which resulted in the killing of over
seven persons over the weekend in Otukpo.
“We urge security agencies to take steps to apprehend the
mastermind of the crisis and those responsible for recent
kidnap incidents in Idoma land before the situation gets
out of hand.”
According to the Benue State, Police Public Relations
Officer, PPRO, Assistant Superintendent, ASP, Moses
Yamu, the Police confirmed three deaths as at the time of
filling this report.
“We can confirm three deaths, another three with gunshot
wounds, while eight persons were arrested, four locally-
made pistols were also recovered,” the Senior officer
disclosed.
