No fewer than two persons have been killed following the resurgence of cults war in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
The hostility among the rival cults led to the sacking of Udianga Enem community and the village head, Chief Mendie Josiah Udoekoriko, had to flee his palace.
Recall that a pastor was killed in his presence near his palace area few years ago, when the cults’ war raged.
This forced Governor Udom Emmanuel to offer amnesty to repentant militants and several of them left the bush and dropped their arms.
The latest incident, it was gathered, occurred Monday night, when rival cult group said to be of the Iceland group, led by one Oto from Obon Ebot, stormed the Udianga Enem Village to retrieve stolen items, allegedly seized by the opposing gang in the nearby Obong Ntak community.
Efforts to speak with the Udianga Enem village youths’ President, Udeme John, could not yield result as his line was switched off.
But a member of the Udianga Enem Community Youth Association, who would not want his name mentioned, said the invaders led by the Iceland leader, “came for a truce with the other group, Debam, led by one Samuel Jessy Okongko, popularly called ‘Angel Boy’ with a view to recovering those properties through negotiation.”
“Unfortunately, scuffle ensued, leading to the death of one person while others fled”, he said, adding that the resurgence of gun violence has forced people to abandon their farms and fled.
He added that the ‘Angel Boy’ had earlier killed one person at Obong Ntak community after the looting, but when he was identified by the deceased of having led his gang to cart away people’s wares in their community; he deliberately shot and killed him.
He explained that “we could not report the matter to the Police at the Area Command because the Village Head who would have coordinated the process immediately fled his throne.”
However, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Odiko MaCdon, a Police Superintendent (SP), assured on Monday that “full scale investigation will begin as soon as the Etim Ekpo Area Command gives details.”
He, therefore, urged members of the civil society to be law abiding and report any act of crime in good time for the Police to nib such crisis in bud.
Besides, MaCdon warned hoodlums in the habit of taking the laws into their hands to desist or be prepared to face the fire-power of police operatives, saying “no one should cash in on the peaceful nature of the state to perpetrate evil.”