At least three persons have been feared dead in a fresh outbreak of cult violence in Atan-Ota, Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The clash, which occurred on Monday night around 8:00 p.m., happened in the Kajola area of the town and involved suspected members of the Aiye and Eiye confraternities.
According to local sources, the attack was believed to be a revenge mission by members of the Aiye cult group. They were allegedly retaliating the killing of one of their members by the rival Eiye group two weeks ago.
“There was a cult clash between Aiye and Eiye. The Aiye group killed some Eiye members. When they stormed the area, they shot sporadically and caused tension before killing the victims,” a resident said under condition of anonymity.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers arrived the area and began shooting into the air, causing panic among residents. After the shooting, three young men, believed to be members of the Eiye group, were found dead.
Residents of Kajola and surrounding areas have been living in fear since the incident, with many locking themselves indoors early in the evening and urging authorities to restore calm.
Cult clashes, especially between the Aiye and Eiye groups, have become a frequent and deadly problem in parts of Ogun State, particularly in densely populated and semi-urban communities like Atan-Ota.
While security agencies have made arrests in past incidents, the recurring nature of the clashes has raised concerns about the effectiveness of law enforcement in preventing cult-related violence.
As of the time of filing this report, the Ogun State Police Command had not yet issued an official statement on the incident. However, local security personnel have reportedly been deployed to the area to prevent further attacks.
