Gunmen suspected to be cultists have killed five persons in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The incident occurred on Saturday night, when the gunmen invaded Abuja Housing Estate, in Ahoada main town in search of rival cult members after an earlier attack.
Two of the five persons killed were identified as Chukwujeku Kingsley (36) and Chibuike ThankGod (25 years).
Daily Sun gathered that a shoot-out ensued between the invaders suspected to be members of Greenlander cult group and their rival, Iceland, which resulted to the death of five persons.
Community sources disclosed that by Sunday morning, corpses littered around the estate, and woman sustained gunshots injuries in the attack.
A resident in the neighbourhood, who gave his name as Mike Opeye, informed that residents scampered for safety and many others remained in doors for fear of being caught by stray bullets.
He disclosed that there was no security presence for over two hours the shooting lasted, adding that residents of the estate and its environs had deserted the place for fear of a reprisal attack.
It was gathered that Iceland and Greenland cult groups have been involved in supremacy and territorial control battle in the past months with over twelve persons reportedly killed.
Also, it was learnt that, before the arrival of Police, three of the corpses were reportedly removed by their family members for burial, while ThankGod and another yet-to-be-identified corpse were deposited at Okpeden Mortuary in Ula Ehuda community.
State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Grace Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police (SP), has confirmed the killing.
She disclosed that the incident was reported by Eze Noble of Ahoada Town at about 7:30am on Sunday, that there was a cult clash between two gangs, which occurred at the estate (Abuja Housing Estate)close to Immigration Training School, Ahoada.
Iringo-Gogo said preliminary investigation revealed that the killing was as a result of cult clash.
She added that the Commissioner of Police has deployed tactical teams to contain the situation and investigation was in progress.
