At least 10 people have been reportedly killed following a renewed cult clash in Obelle Community, Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, on Sunday.
The violent incident has caused widespread alarm, prompting many locals to abandon the neighbourhood for safety.
This fresh tragedy comes just days after unidentified gunmen, suspected of being cultists, attacked the town on Wednesday, killing seven people.
According to sources, the rekindled violence is a power struggle between two notorious cult groups, Deybam and Icelanders, who have resumed hostilities after more than two years of uneasy peace.
It was said that following Wednesday’s incident, in which members of one group were slain, their friends conducted a retaliation attack on Sunday, targeting the rivals’ relatives.
The event was described by a community member who only goes by the name Kingsley.
He said, “On Sunday, cultists clashed in our community. Many people have been killed, including innocent residents. The shooting was too intense, and people started fleeing the community. About 19 people have been killed.
“In the morning, some cultists came out and started shooting, attacking the relatives of those they believed were members of the gang that killed their colleagues on Wednesday. Not long after, the rival group came out, and both sides engaged in a fierce gun battle. Members of both groups died in the process.”
Residents of the community are now calling on the government and security agencies to intervene and restore normalcy.
“We are calling on the government to come to our aid. These cult groups are tearing our community apart. We need the police and the army to step in and stop this madness,” Kingsley pleaded.
The spokesman of the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident, saying the clash was linked to levies from an oil company in the area.
Furthermore, she added that the number of casualties is ten.
“About ten confirmed dead. No arrest yet, but the investigation is ongoing.”
She said, “It is a cult clash between loyalists of Naked Wire and Carol. They are fighting over the control of levies from an oil company operating in the area.
