Four People Killed In Clash Between Rival Cult Groups In Ughelli, Delta State

1977

By Sunday Apah 

Four individuals lost their lives in separate incidents during a clash involving two rival cult groups in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State. The conflict arose over debt collection.

Reports indicate that the four victims, who remain unidentified, were known members of the Aye and Bagger confraternities, respectively.

An undisclosed source revealed that a dispute erupted between the groups when one of the victims allegedly sold drugs to a member of the rival cult without receiving payment. This led to tensions as the victim sought to recover the owed money.

The source explained that the debtor, belonging to one of the cult groups, was confronted by the victim demanding repayment, resulting in a violent altercation where the victim was severely assaulted.

Subsequently, the victim retaliated by attacking his debtor with a weapon in a separate encounter, sparking further violence between the two groups and leading to fatal confrontations within Ughelli.

The clashes began last Thursday, with fatal incidents occurring over the weekend. Two individuals were killed in the Okogbe area of Otovwodo, while the other two lost their lives near Iwhreko and Ogor Park on Sunday morning, marking a series of violent incidents between the rival factions.

Although Delta State Police Public Relations Officer SP Edafe Bright could not be reached for comment, a senior security official from the state police command verified the occurrences.

The security source, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the deaths and mentioned that one of the cult leaders had engaged with law enforcement to address the escalating tensions and seek resolution.