The leader of a cult group in Ogwashi Uku, Delta State, was last weekend shot dead following a reprisal attack on him by members of a rival cult group in the area.

Investigations by News Express revealed that his death came as a result of his attack and eventual killing of two members of a rival cult group in a neighbouring community, Azungu, during a burial ceremony.

Our correspondent reports that Ogwashi Uku, Headquarters of Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State, had been embroiled in cult clashes, one of which resulted to the death of two suspected cult members and the subsequent escape of two members of the attacking rival cult group with bullet wounds.

Following the development, President of Ogwashi Uku Development Union (ODU), Emmanuel Okafor, had decried the inability of the police to track down the cultists and demolish their dens.

His condemnation of the police shortcomings was the submission of an emergency meeting over the spate of cult related killings within the past one week in the community.

Okafor, a former Permanent Secretary in Delta State Civil Service, who briefed our correspondent shortly after the meeting at Ogwashi Uku, wondered why the police in the area have resorted to arresting innocent residents while the cult members are allowed to go scot free.

Further investigations revealed that the leader of the attacking group who escaped with bullet wounds was ferried to a traditional medicine practitioner who is alleged to be a specialist in extracting bullets from people’s bodies at Ubulu Uku, also in the council area.

It was learnt that members of the rival cult group whose two members were killed trailed him to the traditional medicine practitioner’s place and shot him at the residence of the bullet extractor.

“They escaped immediately after fulfilling their goal,” disclosed a source who spoke on condition of anonymity.

•Photo shows cultists insignia