On Thursday night, a hotel manager in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, was tragically shot and killed by gunmen suspected to be members of the Eiye Confraternity.
The deceased, identified as Anthony Balogun, had been managing the hotel owned by his mother before the violent incident occurred.
The shooting took place around 8 p.m. at the hotel, situated in the Olunlade area of Ilorin.
According to eyewitness accounts, two individuals entered the hotel and requested to see the manager.
Anthony Balogun, assuming they were potential customers, left his room and went to the reception area to meet them.
The situation swiftly turned violent when the assailants called Balogun out of the reception area. They proceeded to shoot him at close range in the chest.
Following the shooting, the attackers further assaulted Balogun with machetes, inflicting severe injuries to his head, hands, and legs.
Kwara State Police Commissioner Victor Olaiya confirmed the incident, attributing it to a clash between rival cult groups.
He explained that the attack was linked to the activities of the 8/8 cultists, which is in retaliation for the 7/7 celebrations of another confraternity, the Aiye.
In a statement to journalists at the police command headquarters in Ilorin, Commissioner Olaiya described the case as a fresh challenge for the police, particularly following their recent efforts to manage the fallout from nationwide hunger protests.
He assured the public that the police are actively pursuing the culprits and are committed to bringing them to justice.
The police have reported the incident to the Ganmo Divisional Police Station, located near Ilorin. Meanwhile, Anthony Balogun’s body has been transferred to the Kwara State General Hospital, which has recently been upgraded to Kwara State University Teaching Hospital, Ilorin.
The brutal nature of the crime has shocked the local community and raised concerns about the escalating violence linked to cult activities in the region.
The police’s swift response and ongoing investigation are critical in addressing the safety and security concerns of residents and in curbing the influence of cult groups in Kwara State.
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