There was serious confusion in different parts of the ancient town of Ota between Monday night and Tuesday morning as rival cult members went on a rampage.

Two people were injured, and many vehicles and a mosque were vandalised as the warring cult groups searched for their rival members.

Angered by the disturbance from the cult members, the royal father of the town, Oba Abdulkabir Obalanlege, led security operatives to some parts of the town to arrest some of the suspected cultists.

The cult members reportedly invaded Ijagana, Otun, Osi, Okewoye, Okesuna, Agosaga, Mapa, Abebi, and Esa, where they shot repeatedly.

The Nigerian Tribune reported that the trouble started when a new member of the Aiye Confraternity was attacked around the Otun roundabout.

A resident, Sakiru Ogunfemi, said, “The trouble started when a boy who was working as a salesboy along Mefun Road was initiated into the Aiye cult group.”

“The boy, who until his initiation was very popular around the Mefun area, was said to have attended an event around Abebi, where he allegedly openly displayed and flaunted his membership in the cult group.”

The resident continued, “On Monday night, the boy had gone to the Otun roundabout when he was attacked by some members of the Eiye group. In retaliation, the members of his new gang went on a rampage and started shooting and destroying vehicles parked in different parts of the town.”

A resident of the NITEL area of Ota, who pleaded anonymity while speaking with the Nigeria Tribune, said, “When they were going through Idole Street, they vandalised some vehicles at a mechanic workshop.”

A police source at Sango Police Station, who spoke on a condition of anonymity, said, “Many of them have been arrested during an early morning raid by our men, they operated in different parts of the town; residents complained of heavy shooting until early this morning.”

Efforts to get the reaction of the image maker in charge of the state police command, Omolola Odutola, failed as she did not respond to calls on her phone number. (Nigerian Tribune)

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