4 killed as cultists renew rival clashes in Bayelsa

A suspected cultist, Mr. God-do-well, from Delta state, has been murdered in cold blood by rival cult gang members in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital.

God-do-well, aged 34, was cut and left in the pool of his own blood by a rival gang numbering about 40 at the Bayelsa state slaughter site, Swali ultra modern market on Friday.

The cultists allegedly went on rampage after three members of their gang were killed on Tuesday afternoon at about 4pm at two locations of the market.

Angered by the death of their members, they stormed the markets shot sporadically to scare meat traders, dragged the deceased and slaughtered him in front of the helpless traders.

DailyTimes gathered that on Tuesday afternoon, a gang known as “Islanders” raided the area due to some unsettled crisis between them and “Bobos” a rival group.

According to a petty trader, it was a terrible situation on Tuesday afternoon when hoodlums stormed the market, around the yam zone; a middle aged man was killed with a machete stocked to his head.

The next street after the market, two others of the same gang were also killed same day, we now leave in fear for the unknown because we don’t know their next moves.

“We are not secured because these cultists are always in this area and there’s no security patrol team around, they usually come to the market smoke Indian hem, gamble and sometimes rob traders of their monies”.

Another eye witness who pleaded anonymity said the deceased was released from prison custody recently and told people that he has renounced cultism, hence he was hustling at the slaughter site to earn a living, but some people said they still see him after work with some boys in the area.

“I think they just got him to unsettle his gang, all those boys are always seen around this market on a daily basic. They know themselves because they are always in the market area.

They either come to harass people for monies or beg for meat to cook, they even sometimes assist in slaughtering the cows to earn money. I heard people say they call it scores counting”.

Traders in the market who were in mourning mood, pleaded with the security agents to come to their aid, adding that if the police can come and mount their van at the market to secure them during their morning slaughtering period they will even take care of their welfare.

When contacted, spokesperson, Bayelsa state Police Command, ASP Asimin Butwats, his phone lines were on but he never picked his calls.