By Idahosa Musa
There is serious tension in Benin, Edo State Capital as rival cult groups, Black Axe and Maphite Confraternities have resumed their battle of supremacy that has led to the killing of no fewer than 15 people so far.
The ugly situation is coming barely three months after the Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpehbolo, signed the Secret Cult Prohibition Bill into law, thereby approving 21-year jail term for cultists and their sponsors.
Alltimepost.com learnt that the renewed cult war said to be between the two rival groups started on Friday, April 25, 2025 with the killing of a physiotherapist, simply identified as Alex and another at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) back gate, Ugbowo in Benin .
According to eyewitness account, Alex, one of the victims was reportedly gun down by the hoodlums while he went to eat lunch.
Apparently as a reprisal attack, two suspected cult members were said to have been shot at a popular restaurant in the Sapele road area of Benin by yet to be identified gunmen same on Friday, thereby opening the floodgate of cult killings in Benin.
At Upper Forestry Road, one alleged cultist was killed, while Alltimepost.com also scooped that two people were killed at 2nd East Circular and Upper Sokponba Road by the bypass on Saturday.
Another person said to be a member of one of the groups was killed at his boutique shop at 2nd Ugbor Road in Benin
At Ibiwe street, very close to the King Square (Ring Road), another suspected cultist was killed on Saturday evening, just as another said be a cement dealer was killed at the front of his shop that same day.
On Monday evening, one person was shot to death around back of Iyayi Sawmill, Okhoro in Benin, while another identified as Iyobo was killed at Obenevebo Community, Sapele Road.
Other areas where casualties have been recorded in the ongoing secret cult killings are Uselu Shell, and Peanut axis in Sapele road, were one person each were killed between Sunday and Monday.
As at the time of this report, the police authorities in Edo State are yet to issue statement over the worrisome situation in Benin.
It would be recalled that Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo, on January 30, 2025, signed the Secret Cult Prohibition Bill into law, thereby approving 21-year jail term for cultists and their sponsors.
The Secretary to Edo State Government (SSG), Umar Ikhilor, in a statement, said that the previous law had been repealed to impose harsher punishments on cultists and their sponsors.
He urged the public to take heed and avoid actions that were detrimental to the peace, growth and development of Edo State.
He said: “It is hereby announced for the information of the public that the Edo State Secret Cult (Prohibition Law) 2018 has been repealed by the Edo State House of Assembly.
“By virtue of the repeal, the Secret Cult and Similar Activities (Prohibition) Law, 2025, has been passed by the Edo State House of Assembly, and signed into law by the Governor of the State, His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo, effective from 24 January, 2025.
“Please be informed that in the new law, there are provisions for stricter penalties for anyone found guilty of secret cult-related offences in the state. Section 5 of the law prescribes 21 years of imprisonment for financial and material sponsors of secret cults”.
Okpebholo, who lamented the spate of cult-related killings in the state, noted that his administration places priority on the security of lives and property.
“The issue of cultism is not acceptable in Edo State. We do not want to lose anybody, and we will be firm about this.
“We have ordered security agencies to collaborate and ensure that Edo is safe for all, but not safe for criminals’, he declared .
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