Four Feared Dead in Ogun Cult Clashes

Renewed cult clashes in the Alogi, Somorin, and Obantoko areas of Ogun State have claimed four lives.

The clashes between the cult groups, which occurred simultaneously on Saturday, March 15, involved attacks and reprisals targeting individual members.

Multiple eyewitnesses reported that the clashes began when members of one cult group attacked and killed a member of a rival group, prompting a retaliatory attack.

While the exact number of casualties could not be confirmed at the time of reporting due to conflicting eyewitness accounts, the clashes were said to have resulted in several deaths.

An eyewitness, who spoke to the publication on Sunday on the condition of anonymity, disclosed that four people were killed in the clashes.

The eyewitness recounted that the cultists went on a rampage in the Aregbe area, firing gunshots sporadically, which left about four people dead.

Initially, I thought cultists’ rampage thrived more in Lagos than any state in Nigeria, but what I witnessed on Saturday in Ogun State had proved me wrong. Indeed, I wouldn’t believe it if I didn’t witness it,” the source said.

“I am presently in Ogun State on an assignment, staying somewhere around Aregbe close to the state police headquarters. In that area, there is a Divisional Police Command. I went to buy some toiletries near the division this evening. Suddenly, I saw the DPO with some of his boys moving in a war-like manner responding to a distress call.

“I immediately swung into action to know what happened. There, I saw deadly cult clashes involving the Aye and Eiye boys. Four of the cultists were felled by bullets in Somorin, Anobi and Alogi all in Obantoko under the Adatan Area Command.”

Another source familiar with the incident, however, claimed that only two people were killed in the clashes.

The source noted that the simultaneous clashes left residents of the area in a state of panic.

“A cult violence took place in Abeokuta between Eiye and Aye cult groups, leading to revenge and retaliation. The first incident occurred in Somorin, Obantoko, where an Eiye cultist allegedly took the life of one Yusuf suspected to be a member of the Aye cult group.

“When the news of his death spread to members of his group, the Aye cultists in a retaliatory attack targeted and killed an Eiye cultist named Sula at Alogi, Obantoko.”

The two incidents, which occurred almost simultaneously, left residents of the area in a state of panic.

The spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command, Omolola Odutola, confirmed the clashes.

“Yes, there was,” Odutola said in a brief message.