Cult clash leaves 6 dead in Ogun community •Only 2 died —Police •Residents flee homes

Ogijo community in Ogun Sate was literally turned into a war zone on Wednesday when gunmen and members of a group engaged in a 15-hour battle that saw at least six people dead.

Lagos Metro gathered that the gunmen attacked the community at about 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday and continued shooting till about 12noon on Wednesday.

A resident who spoke on condition of anonymity stated that the group members were trying to avenge the death of one of their members.

“When we heard gun shots, we thought it was the police. We later heard that a member of the group was shot dead by the gunmen. When the news of the death of one the group members got to the other members, they came out in large number to retaliate. Although we don’t know the genesis of the fight, but, we heard the sporadic shootings from the bus stop area, that was how people started running for their dear lives.

“As the gunmen were shooting, some people tried to escape but somehow they were shot,” he explained.

Another resident, simply identified as Mr Wale said, “After the attack, six people died before the day break. I left home yesterday to a safer place, all that I wanted to do, I could not do them because my life is more important. This morning, I tried to go back home thinking it would have subsided. I never knew it’s going to be another story entirely.

“The sporadic shooting lasted from 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday till about 12 noon on Wednesday. There is no security at all, where are the police in this state? It is becoming an everyday thing in this area, gunmen attacking people. I think it is because this area is yet to be developed. People have locked down their shops and could no longer open it,” he said.

A landlady speaking with Lagos Metro said that as a result of the reoccurrence of the attack, she has left the house she built to a rented apartment.

“Ogijo is now like a lion’s den that everyone is scared of and won’t want to live there due to the incessant killings and robbery,” she added.

Ogun State Acting Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi confirmed the incident.

He said, “It was just a fight between two rival cult groups. The police are on top of the situation to ensure calmness. Immediately our men heard from Ogijo, they went into action and subdued them. It was not six people that died, it was two people that died. The area is now very calm. The police have made some arrest and also recovered some charms from them, but investigation is still going on.”