Cross River: Four Persons Feared Dead, Several Others Injured As Rival Cult Groups Clash

By; VITALIS UGOH, Calabar
As the 2019 general elections gathers momentum in Cross River state, politicians and other  stakeholders have started the recruiting of cultists to actualise their dreams.
This is evident from reports reaching the New Nigerian Online, that two cult groups have caused mayhem and terror in  Iso-Bendege community in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State.
This renewed cult war according to  sources from the community have  forced residents to flew their homes and headed to different villages and forests.
As at the time of filling this report, four people have been reported dead while several others have sustained various forms of injuries and were rushed to the nearby hospital.
The community which is located in Boki local government of the state was put into confusion on new year day when family celebrations was cut short after rival cults declared war in the community.
Several houses were allegedly burnt while four persons believed to be members of one of the cults were gunned down.
One of the victims, Ada, who informed a friend who lives in Calabar from her hideout in the bush through “short message services”(sms) said, the whole community has fled into the bush.
According to her, ” pls don’t call me, I can’t talk for the fear of being discovered from my hideout. There is war in the community and we are all in the bush”.
“They are burning down our houses and they are killing anybody in sight. I don’t know how many people they have killed but as at yesterday before we ran out of the village, two persons were already dead”.
When contacted, the Police Public Relation Officer(PPRO),  Irene Ugbo, confirmed the incident. She said two persons have been killed from one of the cult groups and a policeman was shot.
Ugbo said, ” the police is aware of of the incident and  I think it is a cult related issue but by the grace of God, we have been able to deploy our men”.
” As hard as it is, when our men were deployed earlier, they were attacked and one policeman was shot but nevertheless, as I am talking to you, the area is calm. military personnel have also been deployed, she added”.