EMOHUA, Rivers State – At least 19 people are feared dead following a resurgence of brutal cult violence in Obelle Community, Emohua Local Government Area, on Sunday. The renewed clashes have sent residents fleeing in panic, leaving the community largely deserted.
This latest outbreak follows a similar incident on Wednesday, where unidentified gunmen, suspected to be cult members, invaded the community and killed seven people.
Sources on the ground indicate that Sunday's violence began as a reprisal attack. Following Wednesday's killings, the group who lost members reportedly targeted relatives of those they believed were involved in the earlier attack. The situation quickly escalated when the rival group retaliated, leading to a deadly shootout.
A local resident, identified only as Kingsley, described the chaotic scene: "On Sunday, cultists clashed in our community. Many people have been killed. Innocent people were killed. The shooting was too much, and people started leaving the community. About 19 people have been killed." He further explained that the initial attack targeted relatives of suspected gang members, which then triggered the larger confrontation between the two groups. Kingsley appealed to the government for urgent intervention, fearing the ongoing violence could decimate the community.
While Kingsley and other local sources report 19 fatalities, Police Spokesperson Grace Iringe-Koko confirmed the incident, stating that the clash stemmed from a dispute over levies from an oil company operating in the area. She confirmed 10 deaths and stated that no arrests have been made yet, but an investigation is underway. Iringe-Koko identified the groups involved as loyalists of "Naked Wire" and "Carol."
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