No fewer than seven persons have been killed by members of rival cult groups in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, within a week.
Our correspondent reported that the killings which took place in various places in the state capital were attributed to a supremacy battle between Eiye and Aiye cult groups.
It was further gathered that prior to the killing of a man in Abeokuta popularly known as Tommy who was hacked to death at Panseke last week Thursday night, six others have been killed by suspected cultists during the supremacy battle.
A source, who did not want his name in print, listed those that have been killed so far in the supremacy battle to include Scatter, School Boy, Alakanni, Tommy Boy, Azeez, Olaosebikan and Babajide.
The killings, according to the source, took place at different scenes like a relaxation centre at Asero; other ones at Kugba, Ikereku, Panseke, Adigbe, Oke Ijeun and Isale Abetu, all in Abeokuta.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed that there were killings in the state within the last week.
He said the command had made some arrests in connection with the killings.
Oyeyemi added that the command had resolved to go after landlords that harbour cultists in the state.
He said, “We have launched a very serious operation on them. We are clamping down seriously on them.
“About 18 suspects have been arrested during the last encounter we had with them and we are not going to rest until we get the last person of these hoodlums, because we cannot be watching anyone making life difficult for members of the public.
“The Commissioner of Police has put all Area Commanders and all tactical team commanders on the red alert that they should go out and take the battle to the doorsteps of these hoodlums. We must fish them out one after the other.
“Any house that is harbouring any of these criminals, the landlords of such houses will be seriously dealt with. They cannot continue harbouring them and now coming out intermittently to wreak havoc. Are they pretending as if they don’t know them?”
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