One killed in Osun cult clash
One yet-to-be-identified male adult was killed in a suspected cult clash along the Ondo road area of Ile-Ife, Osun State on Saturday.
PUNCH Online gathered on Tuesday from a source privy to the incident but pleaded anonymity due to the nature of the incident that the clash was suspected to be between the Eiye and the Alora confraternity.
The source told our correspondent that the clash was a fallout of an initial clash that had ensued between the two cult groups.
The victim was reportedly attacked by armed men who were on a motorcycle while he was purchasing an item along the road.
The armed men were said to have shot him in the head leading to his death while the sounds of gunshots had reportedly created tension in the area with many residents fleeing so as not to be caught in the crossfire.
The source said, “One person was killed along the Ondo road on Saturday by some armed suspected to be cultists. There are reports that the victim was also a cult member.
“These cult groups have been having issues among themselves in the area. He was buying something along the road when he was shot on his head and he died on the spot.
“There were tensions in the area with many people fleeing because they feared there may be a reprisal attack. It was the police that came to calm the situation.”
The Osun State Police Public Relations Officer, Yemisi Opalola, confirmed the incident to our correspondent in a telephone conversation on Tuesday.
She stressed that an investigation has commenced into the incident while a manhunt has been initiated to arrest the fleeing suspects.
“There was a suspected cult clash along Ondo road. The victim was buying something along the road when he was attacked by some men who came on a motorcycle. They shot him in the head which led to his death.
“His body has been recovered to a morgue in the state, and we have begun an investigation into the matter to arrest the perpetrators,” Opalola said.
PUNCH Online reported on February 8 that there were multiple fatalities in clashes between rival fraternities in Ilesa, Osun State, with as many as six people reportedly killed.
Security sources had noted that the killings took place in different locations in Ilesa and Osu towns in the state.
Opalola, who confirmed the clashes, however, did not disclose the casualty figure, saying, “For security reasons, we will not give a figure.
“A rival group may be claiming that it has suffered more casualties than the other group, which may escalate the crisis. We have beefed up security in the affected areas.”
