Rivers Community Boils as Cultists Kill Eight

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

Gunmen suspected to be cultists, Saturday night, invaded Abuja housing estate in Ahoada town, Ahoada East Local Government Areas of Rivers State, reportedly killing about eight persons, and left a woman with serious bullet wounds.

THISDAY gathered that the cultists in search of cult members of a rival group, had engaged in a shoot-out. The rivalry was between the invaders suspected to be members of Greenland cult group and their rivals, Iceland cult group.

A source from the area, who pleaded anonymity, disclosed to THISDAY that as at Sunday morning, corpses of the deceased littered the estate. 

The source informed that residents scampered to safety and many others remained indoors for fear of being caught in the crossfire.

According to the source, “There was no security presence for over two hours the shooting lasted. Some residents around the area, where the clash took place have deserted the place this Sunday morning.”

THISDAY learned that Iceland and Greenland cult groups had been involved in supremacy and territorial control battle in the past months with over twelve persons reportedly killed in the area.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the crime.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, who confirmed the incident, maintained that five persons died in the gun duel.

Iringe-Koko also disclosed that two victims had been deposited in a morgue in the area, while three corpses were removed by their family members for burial.

The Police PRO confirmed “One Eze Noble of Ahoada Town reported that yesterday November 5, 2023 night, there was cult clash between Icelander and Greenlaner rival cult at Abuja Housing Estate very close to Immigration Training School Ahoada.

“Consequently, upon the inferno, his in-law, one Chukwujeku Kingsley 36, Chibuike ThankGod 23 years old, with three others names and addressed yet unknown were shot dead in a jungle they took drugs together before Police arrival. At the scene, three corpses were purportedly removed by their family members for burial while Chibuike and one other yet to be identified were deposited at Okpeden morgue Ila Ehuda community.”

She revealed that preliminary investigation revealed that the killing was as a result of mayham, which erupted the cultists in recent time.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, has deployed tactical teams to the area of crime, while investigation was ongoing to unravel the immediate cause of the crisis with aim to arresting perpetrators of the crime.