Tragedy reportedly struck in a remote community in Benin City when suspected cultists allegedly murdered a man believed to be the father of Austin Osasuwen Kelvin,fleeing member of the cult group.
The tragic incident which happened on January 31st 2025 was said to have been the direct fallout of a long hunt for a former member of the black-axe confraternity who was introduced in 2019 by His childhood friend, boycotted every activity of the group without a trace.
Trouble however was said to have started for the fleeing cultist several years especially in 2020 and March 2022 respectively when they nearly take his life
.After his initiation into the Black-axe confraternity, when he was given a task to snatch ballot boxes in one of the general elections in the state but he refused to perform the said task .
He was said to have instead gone into hiding and was reportedly seeking refuge at an undisclosed location until he started receiving death threats messages from his colleagues who vowed to eliminate his parents in his place, it was gathered.
Meanwhile, the fleeing Austin Osasuwen Kelvin was on this fateful day accosted by members of the Black-axe confraternity who unleashed terror on him and demanded payments of five hundred thousand naira( 500,000) from him and which was to be paid within a short period of time.
In view of the obvious threats and his inability to pay up, the fleeing member was said to have informed his parents of an indebtedness of 500,000 naira by lying that he destroyed a vehicle belonging to someone else.
His parents were said to have managed to assist him in making 2 installments of fifty thousand naira each amounting to a hundred thousand naira with a balance of four hundred thousand naira.
The cultists having waited patiently for the payments of the outstanding balance to no avail, resorted to pay the family of the fleeing member an unscheduled visit when it was obvious he had fled and ascended from the community to an undisclosed location.
Austin Osasuwen Kevin’s father, according to information made available, was tied to a chair in his apartment by the cultists who reportedly shot at him severally in the chest till he was confirmed dead.
Meanwhile, investigation into the murder was said to have begun as the corpse of the deceasede was deposited at the local mortuary while every efforts to locate the whereabouts of the fleeing Austin Osasuwen Kelvin proved abortive as he had gone into hiding over the increased death threats from members of his confraternity for gross insubordination.
