The raging cult clash between members of Black Axe and Eiye confraternity groups appeared to be far from over following the reported killing of three persons on Sunday night.
The clash which is in its fourth week has reportedly claimed 30 lives in addition to the injury sustained by an Assistant Commissioner of Police and two inspectors during an exchange of gunfire with suspected cultists at the notorious Upper Sakponba road by third junction.
Beside the broadway light gun booms, innocent residents are also faced with incessant robbery allegedly perpetuated by suspected cultists.
At the epicentre of the bloody clash is Upper Sakpoba road in Ikpoba-Okha local government, Textile Mill/Ogida Medical (Egor local government) and Isihor/Oluku/Oviogie communities in Ovia North-East local government.
In Ikpoba-Okha local government, the cult groups have taken control of Upper Sakpoba, third Junction, three houses and St. Saviour areas as residents can’t walk on the street beyond 6pm.
Similarly, in Egor local government, cult groups are in control of medical road, textile mill road, and Ogida area while in Ovia North-East, Ugbowo, Isior and Oluku have been taken over by cult groups.
Blueprint gathered that the clash was compounded with the release of almost 2,000 criminals from two correctional centres in Benin metropolis after hoodlums attacked the facilities during the #EndSARS protest.
Also, no fewer than four police stations were razed in the three local governments during the protest.
Findings also showed that the suspected cultists strike their targets with impunity following the near absence of policemen on the Benin metropolis roads after the #EndSARS protest.
“You can imagine what it means when three police stations along Sokponba Road are destroyed and burnt, and patrol vehicles destroyed in several other parts of the state capital. All the officers in these stations now operate from the headquarters,” Johnson Kokumo, the State Commissioner of police said in an interview.
Kokumo however, noted that the command is making frantic efforts to restore normalcy to the state.
