22 April 2023
A clash between two rival cult gangs has claimed no fewer than 16 lives across Enugu State, The Nation has learnt.
The clash between Eiye Confraternity and Aro Mate (Baggers) has raised a lot of concerns among residents in the state.
Our correspondent learnt that the killings occurred at Idaw River (Achara Layout) in Enugu South Local Government Area, Abakpa, Emene and Eke-Obinagu in Enugu East Local Government Area, and in the university town of Nsukka, in Nsukka Local Government Area.
Although the immediate cause of the clash could not be ascertained, it was gathered that the killings, which started last week, had yet to abate.
The latest of the killings occurred on Tuesday evening at Abakpa Nike, where a young musician popularly known as Bado was shot dead.
Bado was said to have been killed in front of his shop at Texaco Filling Station, where he also operated a phone accessories shop.
Also on the same Tuesday evening, another man was reportedly shot and killed at Oga Nze Bus Stop, Idaw River.
An alarm from one of the groups in the area warned its members to be careful as the police had taken over the area that night.
The alarm read: “Good evening everyone.
Please info I am receiving now says someone was killed in Oga Nze Side. Police are everywhere now…
Whereever you are pls be careful.”
When our correspondent visited the area Wednesday morning, it was learnt that the police had taken the corpse away.
Before the Tuesday incidents, sources said three people were killed in Emenite axis of Emene, one person at Eke-Obinagu while 11 were butchered at various locations in Nsukka.
A man identified as Jude, who lives at Emene, was reportedly saved by policemen who intervened and took him to the hospital after he was grievously macheted at Eke-Obinagu junction on Saturday.
Jude, it was learnt, was also a victim of cult attack about two years ago; a development that forced him to walk on crutches for more than one year after he left the hospital.
Sources disclosed that just as he dropped his crutches and resumed normal life, the attack came last Saturday at Eke-Obinagu near Emene.
At Nsukka area, towns such as Eha-Alumona, Nsukka and the nearby Orba and neighbouring towns, no fewer than seven young men were sent to their early graves in different locations around the towns.
The killings, which started early last week at Eha-Alumona, festered to Orba where another person was killed before the Monday major hits.
A source from the area told our correspondent: “I was thinking this nonsense is now a thing of the past until people around Nsukka town, Eha-Alumona town, Orba town and neighbouring towns woke up yesterday (Monday) to see different dead bodies dumped in different locations around the towns.
“According to information, the cult war started at Eha-Alumona sometimes last week, and the same last week, another guy was killed at Orba.
“The rival gang retailiated and wasted many souls among them – all cultists.
“If you see how they were brutally killed, you will forever say no to cultism.
“As at 5pm yesterday (Monday), the dead bodies were still inside the gutters in those locations that they were dumped, and it is like the police and their relatives were even afraid to go and take them away.”
The development, the source said, has forced all the night businesses in Nsukka Zone closed since Sunday, while residents had decided to lock themselves up to avoid being hit in the crossfire.
Another source, who witnessed some of the shootings, said the two gangs had been engaged in a supremacy battle and territorial control for a long time.
The eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, said: “What I know is that the Eiye and Baggers have been challenging each other”.
Reacting to the killings, a lawyer, Barrister Emeka Silas Agbara, called on every well meaning citizen of the state to unite against cultism in the state.
He expressed sadness over the loud silence of leaders in the state on the ongoing cult killings.
Writing on his Facebook page, Agbara said: “You must not be a “member” to be hit. Being a brother, friend or relative of a targeted “member”, being a “suspected or rumoured member”, being in a place with a targeted member, looking like a targeted member, having had any flimsy quarrel with a member or anybody that can hire them, etc; these are factors that can make you a victim.
“We must all unite to condenm cultism in all of its manifestations. You don’t need to be a member to be a victim of the vicious evil.”
Meanwhile, the police have yet to speak on the unfortunate incident.
The spokesman of Enugu State Police Command, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, told our correspondent on Monday that he did not know about the incidents, saying that he would get back to our correspondent if the information was confirmed.
However, he was yet to get back to our correspondent and subsequently did not take his calls.
Meanwhile, it was learnt that the police had deployed various special squads in the affected areas to stop the war and bring their leaders to justice.
As at Wednesday morning in Abakpa, several policemen were seen patrolling the area in an obvious show of force.
The situation was also said to be the same in Nsukka town and Emene in Enugu.
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