The police in Akwa Ibom have confirmed the arrest of two persons in connection with rival cult clashes which occurred between on Wednesday in Urua Ekpa community, situated in the outskirts of Uyo, the state capital.
The clashes, our correspondent learnt, involved members of the Vikings and Iceland Confraternities leading to unconfirmed reports that five persons had lost their lives.
It was also gathered that a fight over a girl between a member of Vikings and that of Iceland sparked up the crisis.
But the state police spokesperson, Odiko MacDon DSP quickly debunked the deaths; saying only two persons have been arrested in connection with the fracas.
The clash caused many people their phones, hand bags, jewelries, money and other variables as they scampered for safety. Many shops within the vicinity of the incidence were locked by the owners.
Some of the cult members dressed in red apparel and armed with guns were seen moving around the area in search of their rivals.
Heavily armed Policemen from ‘E’ Division have been dispatched to the area by the Akwa Ibom State Police Command.
One of the eyewitnesses, a male who preferred to remain unnamed said “at about 9pm on Tuesday when I was returning home from the market, I heard a gunshot down the street and I thought it was a motor tyre bursting but after some time, I heard another gunshot, then I knew something was wrong.
“A few minutes later, I heard people running and creaming for their lives and by this time the gunshots were everywhere, there was sporadic shooting.
“Since yesterday this area has been under serious security threat, we couldn’t sleep last night. Three persons including one of our neighbours have been killed,” he said.
Another witness, Akpan, who runs a barbing saloon along Urua Ekpa road, Ata Idung, said “There was a big problem here in this village; those guys were a big problem for all of us here yesterday. They continued this morning and I can confirm to you that two persons have died in this our street.
“I was preparing to come to my barbing saloon this morning when a group of guys started chasing our neighbour from here. They later caught up with him down the Street, where they mercilessly murdered him”.
Initial efforts to get the Police Public Relations Officer, Odiko Macdon, to confirm the clash failed as he did not pick his phone calls or respond to text messages sent but he later responded through a text message.
He said, “The Akwa Ibom Police Command received a distress call about a clash between two rival cult groups around Urua Ekpa area. The Commissioner of Police ordered immediate deployments. Two persons have been arrested, no life confirmed loss.
“Investigation is ongoing but normalcy has been restored. However, the Command will not tolerate any act from any quarters that will truncate the peaceful disposition of the State. Those concern must desist forthwith”.
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