Armed cultists, suspected to be members of the Greenlanders, on Wednesday night invaded the community of Igbogene, a suburb of Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa, and allegedly killed three people.
The cultists, numbering around 10 and armed with dangerous weapons, are said to have invaded the community at around 8pm, causing residents to run for safety.
A resident, who preferred anonymity, told NAN correspondent on Thursday that the first person shot dead was the son of the former head of the Community Vigilante Group.
According to him, he was shot near his house. The second person, who was not a cultist, was shot when he failed to reveal the whereabouts of his older brother.
Investigations show that the attack was sparked by rivalry between two notorious cult groups, the Bobos and the Greenlanders; while the cultists involved in the fight are residents and indigenous people of the community.
The youth president of the Igbogene community, Ezekiel Igbenivie, who confirmed the incident, also said that those involved had escaped, but that “one of the people shot is still alive and receiving treatment in the hospital.”
The arrival of police teams from Operation Door Kapoor Division, Anti-Kidnapping Squad and Rapid Response Team calmed the situation.
Bayelsa Police Command spokesperson, DSP Musa Mohammed, who also confirmed the incident, identified those shot as Donaldson Mison, 28; Addy Mulan, 27; and Greenboy Dudella, 29.