Suspected cultists led by one Sunday Aniah on Sunday afternoon shot dead the family head of Bebuatswan village in Obudu LGA of Cross River State, Mr Adie Ungwugwaye.
Following the incident, the Commissioner of Police (CP), Gyogon Grimah, directed that a tactical team from the command should comb the communities and fish out the perpetrators in no time.
The command’s spokesman, Irene Ugbo, who confirmed the incident, said, “We have not made any arrests yet. But I can confirm that the CP has directed that perpetrators who have been confirmed to be cultists must be smoked out.”
Meanwhile, findings showed that the suspects are youth leaders from the Ipong Youth Council (IYC) who had alleged that elders were responsible for the death of a youth, Richard Unimke, from the same community.
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City & Crime also learnt that Aniah is the Vice President of IYC who reportedly came all the way from neighbouring Kakum village for the operation.
It was further learnt that the youth victim, Richard Unimke, was riding his bike around his neighbourhood in Bebuatswan village on July 31, 2023, and accidentally collided with a herd of cattle from where he was taken to a private hospital and discharged after some days.
A family member of the late Unimke said, “His condition deteriorated on getting home and he was rushed back to the same hospital where he died yesterday, Sunday.
“Friends of Unimke who are leaders of IYC from neighbouring Kakum village suspected that Unimke was killed diabolically. They, therefore, hurriedly forced a family meeting of the elders to tell who was responsible.
“At the family meeting, the youth leaders allegedly shot the family head, Mr Adie Ungwugwaye, dead and fled.