Five people have been killed in the last 72 hours in a renewed cult clash in Ilorin metropolis, the Kwara State capital, Daily Trust has reliably gathered.
After the killing of an unidentified youth on Tuesday in Erubu, Emir’s road area in Ilorin around 7 pm, it was learnt that another victim was killed in another area close by right in front of onlookers less than four hours later.
- Spain beat Switzerland to reach Euro 2020 semi-finals
- Bandits abduct 13 women along Birnin Gwari-Kaduna highway
The renewed supremacy battle, according to findings, was between members of Eiye and Aiye confraternities in the metropolis.
Speaking on the issue, an eyewitness to the second killing, who craved anonymity for fear of being hunted, narrated that: “We all were busy watching the ongoing European Cup of Nations match between Ukraine and Sweden which ended very late in the night.
“The assailants obviously were lurking around having tracked the victim to the viewing centre where we were.
“Immediately after the final whistle, they came for him and announced to everybody they are there for their victim and not for anyone else.
“They were five in number, they dragged him and brutally killed him.
“The worrisome part of it was that they waited to confirm he was dead before they left the scene.
“I have been hearing of cult-related killings for more than four decades, this is the first time I will be witnessing the barbaric act physically and I have been shivering ever since,” the source added.
A top security operative in the state confided in our reporter that they have picked four corpses from various locations in the Ilorin metropolis since the first incident on Tuesday.
He stressed that the cultists were becoming more daring.
Meanwhile, the killing spree among the cultists continued Friday evening as another youth identified as Qudus Alaya was killed around the Idiagbon area of Ilorin.
An eyewitness told Daily Trust that the victim was accosted, overpowered and hacked to death by five assailants around 6 pm.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer of Kwara command, SP Ajayi Okasanmi, decry the incessant killing activities of the cultists.
He stressed that it was time for the community and all relevant stakeholders to rise up and partner with the Police towards tackling the menace.
He said: “I can confirm to you we have arrested no fewer than 10 suspects since the renewed clash three days ago.
“The Commissioner of Police has given orders for us to go all out and apprehended the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
“We have been raiding black spots and have made several arrests.
“However, the Police cannot do it alone, we need the collaboration of all and sundry, especially on the aspect of information volunteering.
“The perpetrators are not ghosts, they sure live here. Therefore, the people they live with know them.
“We implore them to give them (the cultists) up by providing relevant information to the police,” he pleaded.
Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.
