Renewed cult-related war has allegedly claimed no fewer than 10 persons in Benin City, Edo State capital with the latest being the four victims on Thursday at Upper Mission, Okhun and Oluku areas in the ancient city of Benin.

It would be recalled that a revenue collector simply identified as ‘Mopol’, was on Wednesday reportedly gunned down around Okhoro junction by new Benin.

It was also gathered that one Miss Ibrahim Asmat Happy, a final year student of Auchi Polytechnic and another revenue collector whose name could not be ascertained were killed on the same fateful day in Auchi, the administrative headquarters of Etsako West Local Government Area.

The late final year student of Auchi Polytechnic said to be a victim of the stray bullet was learned to have been shot dead at the front of the institution’s Campus two gate by suspected armed cultists who were reported to have been after their target, the revenue collector.

Confirming the report, a lecturer who pleaded anonymity said the area has been tense since the incident occurred on Wednesday, adding that: “cult-related clashes have become a coming trend among young students in Auchi in attempts to outsmart one another”.

However, the Thursday incidents in Benin according to sources could not be unconnected with the unending supremacy battle between members of the Black Axe confraternity, Maphite and Eiye groups which has snowballed into gruesome killing of mainly youths at different areas in Benin.

It was further scooped that a popular ‘big boy’ in Benin alongside his girlfriend were shot with several bullets at a popular hotel around the Aikhionbare area in GRA by suspected cultists who allegedly operated with an unregistered Sienna Space Bus.

The victims according to the report are currently recuperating at an undisclosed hospital in the state. Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Edo State Police Command, Chidi Nwanbuzor, said he has not been briefed on the incident, but promised to get back to our Correspondent.

As at the time of filing this report, killings and shootings of rival group members at different areas in Benin by suspected cultists were reportedly ongoing. (Daily Independent)

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