Four killed in cult clash in Calabar

FOUR persons  believed to have lost their lives in  Calabar in the last two days in gun shootout  between two rival cult groups, the Vikings Confraternity and KK group.

One of those killed was a 40 year old traditional  chief in the Efut Esighi kingdom in Bakassi LGA whose name was given as Etim while he was taking his bath right in his house at Nqu Street, near the Palace of Obong of Calabar. An eye witness, Andem Ekpenyong Effiom who gave graphic account of the incident said the titled chief was believed to have been traced from Bakassi a day before but was shot yesterday night at about 7pm.

He said that there was shooting in the area in the past days thereby making residents of the area to flee or lock themselves inside their homes.

“Although  there has been rival cult clashes in the neighbourhood between dreaded Vikings and KK boys who were extorting money from commercial motorcyclists in the area, forcing people in this area to live in fear, yet we suspect that assassins or cult boys were sent after those killed including the Efut chief”.

“Yesterday night’s shooting was particularly scary. The gunmen began to shoot at about 7.30pm and did not stop until about 10pm”, he said.

An official in the Obong’s palace who craved anonymity said the shooting has caused panic but that the Etuboms’ council was believed to have contacted the police.

Commissioner of police in the state, Kola Shodipo who sent his men to evacuate the corpses, has ordered take over of the area by his men.

He has also ordered the Mbukpa and Atakpa Divisional Police Officers in Calabar to immediately conduct investigation into the cause of the shooting.