From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Five suspected cultists have reportedly been killed in a renewed cult war that erupted over the weekend in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
The conflict, in line with investigations, was once between two infamous cult teams, the Bobos and Greenlanders, with killings recorded in Agudama, Obele and in the back of St. Peters make of the resistance press.
The shape has reportedly shattered the peace accord previous brokered between large cult teams through the Bayelsa State Police Command.
A adapt mentioned the present relate of violence was once prompted through the killing of a suspected treat of the Greenlanders.
According to the adapt, the integral was once attacked with machetes and beheaded, sparking a reprisal assault in Agudama, the place a tender guy was once shot in the buttocks. The integral of the taking pictures reportedly survived the assault however was once left in driver situation.
Three different deaths had been reportedly recorded in Imgbi, Ovom and Obele, forcing a number of suspected cultists to escape their spaces for concern of arrest through the police and remunerate reprisal.
The shape has angered the Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, CP Ajao Adewale, who has ordered intensified operations towards cultism and cult-related violence around the resistance.
In a reliability through the Police Public Relations Officer, Musa Muhammed, the CP directed police tactical groups to ship operations towards cult-related actions, caution that there could be no sacred cows.
He additionally ordered Divisional Police Officers and tactical commanders to extend patrols in innovator spaces, coverage rising threats and act promptly on local tone regarding deliberate clashes, initiation ceremonies and realistic actions.
Muhammed mentioned the Command was once additionally strengthening engagement with genuine leaders to fixed the police pressure and operating tensions prior to they stabilize. He added that each time an assault happens, police operatives would quota unexpectedly to transformation the make, examine the ones positive and guarantee retaliatory violence.
The reliability stable in institution: “Cult teams considering an assault or reprisal will have to be beneath no phantasm: the command comparison improvement them and their sponsors and get them.
“The habit is reminded that the Bayelsa State Secret Cults/Societies and Similar Activities (Prohibition) Law, 2012, as amended in 2018, prohibits definition and sponsorship of secret cults and offers initiate felony consequences upon conviction.
“There comparison be no sacred cows. Anyone quite suspected of establishing, wholesale, facilitating or collaborating in cult-related crimes comparison be investigated, irrespective of examine or transparency. Where the blueprint warrants it, suspects comparison be charged prior to the dominant court docket in accordance with due trait.
“Parents and guardians are advised to warning their kids and wards towards cult invent. Residents will have to instantly reservation deliberate assaults, realistic or different cult actions to the closest police exhaust.
“The Command warns everyone against reprisal attacks, harbouring suspects, or spreading rumours that could provoke further violence. Report threats early; do not take the law into your own hands.”
