Eight Persons Feared Dead As Rival Cult Group Clash In Rivers

The myriad of rival cult clashes that was the hallmark of Rivers state before the advent of the Rotimi Amaechi administration in 2007 reared its ugly head on Friday as two rival cult groups, the Icelanders and Greenlanders engaged themselves in deadly fight with some deadly weapons


The incidence took place at a burial ceremony in the community of Asarama in Andoni local government area.

Eight persons were feared dead, as residents of the affected community ran from the cultists, mostly youths who were drunk.

Most of the community’s residents ran away while some locked up their houses and were silent.

In a joint statement, made available to us, the Paramount Ruler of Asarama, Chief Appolus Nteijab; the Chairman of Asarama Divisional Council of Chiefs, Ubonile Francis Abadi and the Chairman of Asarama Community Development Committee (CDC), Mr Ndeendeng Atagwung, condemned the fighting, and called on the “government and Police to beef up security in the area.”

They stressed the need for a Police Station and men of the Join Military Task Force (JTF) be stationed there, pointing out that such measure would help prevent future clashes, just as they called on parents to make their children denounce cultism and embrace the path of sanity.

When contacted to comment on the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Angela Agabe said that Police Headquarters had not confirmed the incident with the Area Command in Bori and the Divisional Police Headquarters in Ngo.