From John Dike, Osogbo
Residents of Orita-Abesu in Oke-Baale community, Osogbo, Osun State are now leaving in fear, following a bloody clash that broke out between two suspected cult groups, leaving two dead.
The bloody clash was said to be the aftermath of the decision of a repentant cultist not to change his mind after much pressure from his group.
The middle-aged man, whose name could not be confirmed as at press time, was said to have resigned his membership of the secret cult and decided to turn a new leaf.
The Nigerian Monitor correspondent gathered that trouble however ensued at the weekend, when some suspected members of the secret cult group he resigned from invaded his shop and demanded that he rescinded his decision.
The man, who was said to have began selling Indian hemp somewhere on his street, refused their entreaties when they visited him at his kiosk, and this according to an eye witness account, led to altercations which almost led to a fight.
Some of those who witnessed the scene, told our correspondent that the cultists informed the hemp seller that his decision to quit their group was not welcomed and compelled him to have a change of heart.
They complained that he had not been attending their meetings and neither had he been joining them in their activities.
When the reality dawned on them that he was not willing to yield to their demand, they forcefully took him away from the area to Orita-Abesu at Oke-Baale area in the state capital.
At this point, some of the gang members of the hemp seller were said to have mobilised themselves to rescue their friend, a situation that led to a fierce battle in the area.
The clash resulted in pandemonium in the area as passersby and residents scampered for safety.
The cult group led by their leader identified as Kokoro, and some thugs cum cultists loyal to the hemp seller were said to have wielded dangerous weapons such as guns, cutlasses and clubs as they attacked one another.
The free-for-all became bloody a few minutes after a team of policemen from the Anti-Cultism Unit of the State Police Command arrived at the scene.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Yemisi Opalola, said two were reportedly killed, and that the police had restored normalcy in the area.
