The ongoing violent conflict between rival cult groups, reportedly Eiye and Vikings confraternities, has claimed the lives of at least 10 individuals over the past five days in Upper Sakponba, Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area, Edo State.
As of Tuesday, October 29, reports indicated eight fatalities in the area. By Friday evening, the death toll continued to climb, with the shooting of a young man at Nomayo bus stop around 6:00 p.m. Eyewitnesses recount that the victim was attacked as he attempted to make a purchase at a nearby shop. A local fruit seller at the bus stop shared, “He had just gotten off the bus and was heading into the store when a group blocked him. They shot him, and he tried to escape, but they caught up to him, fired again, and ultimately shot him in the stomach.”
The witness gestured toward the victim’s body, approximately 100 meters from the scene, lying in a pool of blood with visible gunshot wounds to the abdomen.
On Saturday, another casualty was reported: a man known simply as “Ik,” in his mid-thirties, originally from Rivers State. Ik managed a filling station near Aifuwa bus stop and also operated a lubricant shop nearby. His attackers allegedly targeted him with machetes and an axe, leaving his body brutally injured. According to Mustapha, a coworker and friend of the deceased, Ik had expressed feeling unwell early that morning. Mustapha recounted, “Ik came to my house around 5 a.m., saying he was sick. I advised him to rest, but he went to his shop. When he arrived, he was informed that masked individuals had been searching for him. He returned home briefly, changed into black clothing, and returned to his shop. Unfortunately, the assailants came back, and despite his attempt to flee, they shot and fatally attacked him.”
In a related incident, the same cult group reportedly robbed a Point of Sale (POS) operator on Aifuwa Street shortly before targeting Ik.
When contacted, Edo State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, confirmed only two fatalities from the recent clashes, stating, “I know about the two recent ones as mentioned. That is all I can confirm at this time.”
The escalating violence has created widespread fear among residents, with many calling for increased police presence and intervention to curb the bloodshed and restore peace in the affected areas.
