From JUDEX OKORO, Calabar
Two youths have been reportedly killed in a clash between two rival cult groups in Ogoja Local Government Area of Cross River State. This occurred barely two weeks after three persons were killed when some angry youths and the police clashed in Ogoja.
The clash, which took place at the weekend, was said to have started at the burial of a prominent female politician, known as Ma Alice Ogboja, when the cult groups identified as norsemen and klux klan had a heated argument over an issue.
A eyewitness told Daily Sun that the argument that started barely 30 minutes into the ceremony, initially led to a fistcuff between two members of the rival groups and later snowballed into a free-for-all.
The source said: "The argument was simply between two young men but no sooner had we intervened, that other young men from both groups joined and a fight ensued.
"The burial took place in the village of Akpakpanga, some two kilometers from Igoli, the Ogoja central town."
Mr. Emmanule Njok, a resident of Ogoja, who was at the burial said: "The trouble started when a boy slapped a young nursing mother and her boyfriend, said to be a cultist confronted the boy, and an argument ensued.
"The boy quickly invited his members to intervene and on getting there, rushed the guy and inflicted machete cuts on one of the boys and that worsened matters."
Piqued by the attack on their member, the opposing cult members mobilised that night and subsequently attacked members of the other group.
"They went from house to house where the other members lived and a fierce battle ensued and two boys were killed and the property of those who they could not find at home, were set ablaze," Njok further stated.
Speaking on the incident, the Clan Head of Abakpa, Chief Aruku, said: "I had appealed to the boys to allow peace to reign. As at yesterday, shops were all closed in Abakpa market.
"Many people come from far places like Lagos, Abakaliki, Calabar and Akwa Ibom State to buy and sell here, and if the market fails to hold, it would be bad for us and those coming from afar."
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the state police command, Hogan Bassey, stated: "There was a clash like that," adding that the police were equal to the task.
The post 2 killed in C' River community cult war (http://sunnewsonline.com/new/national/2-killed-c-river-community-cult-war/) appeared first on The Sun News (http://sunnewsonline.com/new).