Oron, Akwa Ibom State – October 18, 2024: Two people lost their lives in a violent clash between rival cult groups in Oron Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. The victims, identified as Paul Eyo and Ekpe, were killed in what has been described as a bloody confrontation.
Reports indicate that Paul Eyo, suspected to be a member of one of the cult groups, was killed, while Ekpe, the principal of a high school in Oron and an alleged member of a rival group, was gruesomely beheaded.
The Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Police, Joseph Eribo, confirmed the incident during a press conference on Friday at the police headquarters in Ikot Akpan-Abia, Uyo. He stated that three suspects had been arrested in connection with the killings.
“On 16/10/2024, at about 6:35 am, operatives of the command were alerted by the youth leader of the presence of a corpse with marks of violence on it,” Eribo said. “The deceased was identified as Paul Eyo, a male, suspected to be a member of the Black Axe cult from Eyo Abasi. He was found with machete cuts on his head, leading to his death. Additionally, Ekpe, a male from Eyo-Abasi and a suspected member of the Vikings cult group, was beheaded.”
Following credible intelligence, the police traced the suspected killers to Abiak Owo Ebughu in Mbo LGA. Around 12:15 pm, Mfon Etim Uzoma, Robert Effiong Etim, and Malachi Williams Ubokulo were apprehended at a ravine in the village.
The Police Commissioner reiterated the commitment of the command to curb cult-related violence in the state, assuring residents that further investigations are ongoing to bring all perpetrators to justice.
