By Ahmed Ajikobi
No fewer than seven persons have been arrested in connection with recent clash between cult groups in Niger area of Ilorin, Kwara State capital, Pilot Crime has learnt.
The fracas which occurred penultimate Monday reportedly resulted in the death of two people suspected to be members of rival cult groups.
According to a police source, the suspects were arrested by men of the state Police Command at different locations within the metropolis, adding that efforts are ongoing to nab others who are currently at large.
Meanwhile, when contacted, the state Police Spokesman, DSP Ajayi Okasanmi denied knowledge of the arrests.
“I don’t know if any arrest has been made or not. All I know is that the matter is still under investigation,” he said.
Okasanmi, however, said he would confirm the situation and subsequently get back to our reporter.
His response on the development was still being awaited when this paper went to bed yesterday.
It would be recalled that the peace of Niger area of the state capital was disturbed penultimate Sunday, when rival cult members took up arms against one another.
Residents and passersby were said to have scampered for safety while traders hurriedly closed shops when the cultists engaged themselves in fierce gun duel on the fateful day.
It was gathered that two people including an alleged Eiye Confraternity member simply identified as Jimoh were killed in the melee.
Speaking on the development, eyewitness told this medium that the cultists stormed the area at about 9:30pm to unleash mayhem on the fateful day.
‘’It was around 9:30am when the gunmen stormed the area searching for their prey simply identified as Jimoh. They later met him at a joint where he was relaxing. Upon sighting the rival cultists, he immediately fled for his life.
‘’His assailants gave him a hot chase while shooting at him at the same time but his body deflected the gun bullets. One of the assailants caught up with him and shot him at close range but the bullets did not penetrate his body.
“In anger his assailants smashed his head with a big stone until he gave up the ghost. Upon accomplishing their mission they vanished into thin air.
“Members of the group that Jimoh belonged to also came to the community for reprisal attack and this led to the gun duel which lasted for about one hour causing panic among residents in the area”.
It was gathered that Jimoh is a secondary school drop-out and former student of Government Day Secondary School, Oke-Aluko in Ilorin.
