Following the alleged withdrawal of police personnel from their duty posts due to EndSARS protests, cultists have taken over the streets of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, robbing residents and traders.
Already, traders, residents and commuters around the popular Tombia Market in Yenagoa, said they were robbed of their cash and valuables on Friday morning when two rival cult groups engaged in gun battle for several hours.
According to witnesses, the gun battle between the cult groups identified as Bobos and Greenlanders began in the wee hours of Friday and lasted till about 7:30am before a combined team of the military and police restored peace.
A trader, Wanemi Taylor, who resides at Kpansia Community in Yenagoa said she was robbed of N70,000 on her way to buy garri at Zarama market.
Explaining her ordeal, she said, “I was inside a tricycle heading to Zarama market to buy garri. I didn’t know that there was cult clash at Tombia market area until we got to the roundabout.
“The driver was attempting to divert from the area when two armed boys held us at gun point and collected my N70,000 and phone. As I speak with you my business is finished.”
A resident who pleaded not to be mentioned alleged that the cult clash is as a result of a struggle for the control of drug trade around the ever busy Tombia market in Etegwe/Edepie Community.
He said “They have been struggling for the control of drug trade in the highly populated area for some time now. So as a result of the battle for supremacy, Bobos cult group killed one member of Greenlanders.
“So yesterday things got out of hand and about 1am in the night we started hearing gunshots up till this morning. By morning they have destroyed properties and looted valuable.
“By morning when we thought the battle was over, they returned, this time throwing bottles at each other and those that were trapped in the middle were either robbed or injured.” He said.
Police spokesman in the state, SP Asinim Butswat confirmed the cult clash, saying some team of policemen have been deployed to the area to restore peace, but denied the insinuations that police operatives were withdrawn from their duty post
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