At least three persons have been killed as suspected cultists engaged in a supremacy battle in Sagamu, the headquarters of Sagamu Local Government Area, Ogun State.
It was gathered that the cultists, who were said to be members of the Eiye and Aiye confraternities, had on Tuesday renewed their battle by shooting one another.
Sources said between Tuesday and Saturday morning May 6, 2023, three persons had been shot dead while several others sustained injuries in the attack, forcing residents of the area to stay indoors.
It was further gathered that the ongoing fracas has paralysed commercial activities in some parts of Sagamu.
Spokesperson of the State Police Command, SP Abimbola Oyeyemi, who confirmed the incident, said three persons were killed in the incident.
He, however, disclosed that many of the cultists have been arrested by the police.
“Yes, three persons were killed in Sagamu by cultists. But we have arrested many of them. The Commissioner of Police has directed our tactical teams to be on standby,”
We have started trailing those involved and many are in custody. We are clamping them down, more will still be arrested,” Oyeyemi said.
Meanwhile, the State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has declared social menace an act of terrorism, vowing that his administration would henceforth deal withsuspected cultists as terrorists.
The governor, who made the declaration at the Akarigbo’s Palace in Sagamu during a stakeholders security meeting, held on Friday, said his government has had enough and is ready to deal with the matter once and for all.
“I am declaring cult members, cult activities here as an act of terrorism, I am taking these as a test of this administration’s will. I have sounded a note of warning at times past, I am resounding a fresh note of warning to all cult members, to their parents, to their landlords, to their sponsors,” he stated.
“From today, we are considering cult members and other criminals as saboteurs to the economy of not just this local government, this town, but this state. We will consider them as terrorists, I will deal with them as such.
“I have instructed our law enforcement agencies to smoke these people out, I have told the Commissioner of Police that he has no other job until every single member of this cult is found out.
“I am still trying to figure out what is the basis, motive and the reason behind these cultist activities in Ogun State, particularly, in Sagamu and Remoland. We will collaborate with our Royal Majesties and Royal Highnesses in our resolve to bring long-lasting peace to this local government”, Abiodun stated.
