Cult Clash in Ibadan leaves 15 persons injured

By JOSEPH OKWUOFU, Ibadan

There was pandemonium at Born Photo area in Idi Arere, Ibadan following a bloody clash between two rival cult groups that left no fewer than 15 persons injured.

Sounds of deafening sporadic gunshots boomed in the area on Saturday evening , causing panic among the residents of Gege, Ita-Sakun, Ita-Maya and Oke-Ado areas of Ibadan.

Security was reportedly beefed up in the area following the bloody clash between two rival groups.

Bloody clashes among rival cult groups in the areas have claimed several lives in recent past, even forcing residents to flee from the high risk areas due to incessant bloody clashes among the rival cults.

It was gathered that fight broke out in the area as two factional groups, whose identities were not yet known, were lurked in a supremacy battle.

Although, the actual cause of the clash could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report, it was gathered shop owners and residents of the area scampered for safety in the early hours of Saturday following sporadic gunshots between the warring groups.

An eyewitness said one person was badly injured during the fight that lasted more than one hour.

He, however, said that the condition of the injured persons could not be determined as they were rushed to an undisclosed hospital.

When contacted for reaction, the Police Public Relations Officer, Oyo State Command, Olugbenga Fadeyi, confirmed the incident.

He said men of the command had been deployed to the scene to avert total breakdown of law and order.

Fadeyi said: “There was a clash. The police had been in the area since the incident happened in order to calm the situation.

“Our men are still on the ground to make sure that there is no breakdown of law and order.” (The Nation)