The Osun State Police Command, on Tuesday, said five people were killed, following violent clashes between two rival cult groups in Ilesa town.
The police spokesperson in the state, Yemisi Opalola, told our correspondent that the clashes occurred late on Monday.
But contrary to the figure given by the police, a security source resident in Ilesa, who preferred anonymity, told our correspondent that eight people were killed.
The source said the clashes occurred in Osun Ankara, Iloro and Idasa areas; all within the Ilesa metropolis late on Monday.
He also said the clashes involved a cult group called ‘Aye’ and a rival group named ‘Eiye’, adding that as much as six out of the eight people killed, were hit by stray bullets.
“It was Aye that came from outskirt the town to attack Eiye group. It was like a reprisal attack. Out of the eight that were killed, six were hit by stray bullets,” the source stated.
Speaking on the action taken by the police to stop further escalation, Opalola said more men had been deployed to the affected areas.
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