Kunle Adelabu
The deadly engagements among rivalry cult groups may have taken a more extreme and fearsome dimension as a video showing cultists killing an opponent has gone viral on various social media platforms.
In the shocking video, about four suspected Eiye cult group, whose faces are not shown in the video, shot an alleged Axe cult group member with locally made pistols one after the other.
The victim, who was wearing black t-shirt and sitting on the floor helplessly during his interrogation by his assailants and spoke mostly in jargons, stated that he was a student of University of Ibadan.
His assailants, while pointing guns at him, stated that they are in control of Ikorodu.
“Why be say una dis boys no dey get sense. People wey pass una grandpapa… Una know say this Ikorodu, First Gate, lta-Oluwo na we get am o. una be mugun o. U say armored tank dey this town…”, the leader of assailants said in pidgin English in the viral video.
The assailants told the victim that the uncompleted building he was held hostage was his burial ground while preventing him from talking.
He was also told that each of the assailants would take turn in shooting him in the 1.35 seconds video.
About eight cultists and others have so far been killed in a resurgent gang war mostly in Igbogbo area of Ikorodu Division.
Anuoluwapo Mogaji, popularly called ‘Dada Kettle’, a notorious Axe cult member, was among those that were nabbed by the combined security team in Igbogbo.
He has since been moved to the State Command of the Nigeria Police while the police in conjunction with local vigilance groups are on the trail of other cult members that have been disturbing the peace of the town.
Most residents that have commented on the viral video described it as brazen and called on necessary authorities to trace the culprits and bring them to book.
They also urged security men and other major stakeholders to deal decisively with cultists and their heinous activities and ensure that this new trend of their dastard engagements are nip in the bud.
Our reporter attempted to get the reaction of the police on the viral video by sending WhatsApp messages to DSP Bala Elkana, the Lagos Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) and he later called on phone and promised to get back to our reporter after studying the messages and the video.
But as at the time of publishing this story, the police spokesman was yet to revert as promised.
