Cult Wars: 43 Feared Dead In Benin City

ByOladipo Airenakho

Three-week old flared-up crisis between rival cults in Benin City, Edo State has left about forty three people, mostly suspected members of the menacing groups dead, thereby sending fears among law-abiding residents of the city.

So far there appears to be no end in sight to the unending spate of killings, associated with violent clashes among members of the various rival cult groups in the heartbeat of the nation who appear to be operating without checks, with the backing of some local politicians.

Alltimepost.com correspondent gathered that trouble started when there was a disagreement between some persons alleged to be cultists whom some politicians had engaged to mobilize support for the candidates of their respective political parties during the March 11, Assembly election in Benin City.

An alleged member of the Maphite confraternity was said to have been beaten up and later died from injuries sustained at a polling station in the state capital, Benin City, during a fracas on election day.

When the news of the incident spread into town, it prompted colleagues of the alleged deceased cult member to vow revenge for the affront and assault on their late colleague.

However, while the tension created by this incident was yet to abate, another worrisome dimension was added last Saturday with the alleged killing of a member of the ‘Eiye’ confraternity by members of the ‘Black Axe,’ another rival group, over unresolved disagreement.

Before now and between December 2014 and early January 2015, violent clashes between alleged cult rivals in the state in which the names of the Eiye and Black Axe confraternity have always cropped up have claimed no less than 20 lives.

A source who hinted this correspondent on the development said: “I think those black axe struck at this time in order to attribute the killing to Maphite.

“But unfortunately, a member of Eiye who was around the scene identified some of them.

“And what you are witnessing now is a threesome cult clash. Therefore, you cannot also rule out possible retaliations for the additional violence being experienced in the city,” he added.

As at the last count, Wednesday night, 43 persons have been reportedly killed alone in the state capital, Benin City.

Though presently the situation has not yet spiralled into tertiary institutions and towns in the State there is however fear amongst the citizens these violent cult clashes may soon spread and also constitute grave dangers to the innocent.

Two women are among the dead so far. The mothers were said to have been shot by gunmen suspected to be cultists around Third Circular Road and New Benin area in the metropolis.

One of the women was reportedly shot after she claimed not to know the whereabouts of her 25-year-old son whom the gunmen had come looking for him in her store.

From every indication the Edo State Police Command appears not to have a clear cut plan on how to curb the continuing excesses of suspected cultists in the state.

As at the time of filling this report, the State police command was yet to make an official pronouncement on these orgies of the killings.

The Command’s Spokesman, DSP, Stephen Onwuchei said he was yet to be furnished with the situation report on clashes when he was asked.

“For now, I don’t want to isolate cases or give out information that is untrue,” he added.