BY FRANK OKORO
OBAYANTO (IKPOBA OKHA) – Three persons were feared dead in a fracas involving two rival secret cult groups over leadership of Obayanto community in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo state.
It was gathered that trouble started after one Clement Agbonma, a brother to Agbonma Jolly, the Chairman of Obayanto Community and his aide, Efe Ekuase were reportedly shot dead.
This development did not go down well with Jolly, who later confronted the killer cult group members.
Investigation revealed that, the alleged killers were said to have confronted Jolly, for daring to probe into the death of his brother, Mr. Clement Agbonma.
An eye witness, Mrs Rebecca Nnadi who resides in the community, said that at about 10am on that faithful day, they heard sounds of gun shots as members of the cult groups shoot sporadically.
This development, she said, caused fear and apprehension among residents of the locality who took to their heels, abandoning their homes.
Rebecca, also told newsmen that, it was a case of rival cult groups fighting over the community chairmanship position.
Contacted, the Head of the Council of Elders in the community, Pa. Idemudia James, said that, “The community Chairman and his aide were shot dead by members of the Black-axe cult group.
He said that the cult group members opposed to Clement’s leadership as chairman due to unresolved leadership crisis that has polarized the community.
Idemudia revealed to newsmen that, Agbonma Jolly’s plan to arrest those who killed his brother and aide was revealed by his close friend to the leader of the Black-axe secret cult group, this development did not go down well with members of the cult group who later mounted an aggressive search for Agbonma Jolly and others for assassination.
He lamented that the cult members struck in the residence of Jolly, at about 8pm in the evening, the same day his brother and the aide were killed, he was lucky not to be home at the time of the incidence.
It was gathered that he may have gone into hiding for fear of not being attacked and possibly killed by members of the cult groups who have marked him and others for elimination.
The Vice-Chairman of the community, Comrade Akpata Egbe, also told Journalists that members of the cult groups have launched a manhunt for Jolly, for daring to challenge their action, killing of his brother.
Family members said, Jolly’s whereabout remained a mystery as nobody was ready to give adequate information as to where he (Jolly) is.
Meanwhile, security agents in the locality have been searching for those fingered in the death of the two persons in the community.
