A young man has been murdered along Abakaliki Street, Mile 1, Diobu, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Easter Sunday, throwing residents into palpable tension.

The Rivers State Police Command, through its Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Police Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident, attributing the killing to an intra-cult clash between rival factions of a dreaded cult group operating within Diobu.

The victim, whose identity is yet to be ascertained, was shot dead by assailants who drove in a vehicle after he had stepped out of a store where he had gone to buy bread.

Findings by Tribune Online reveal that the deadly clash stemmed from a fierce territorial battle between suspected Doggies and White Eagle Houses of the Deybam cult groups.

A source close to the community disclosed that the crisis escalated on Easter Sunday, triggered by a tussle over a young girl between two men belonging to the opposing houses.

According to CSP Iringe-Koko, the Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, has immediately ordered a massive manhunt for the perpetrators, vowing that they will be brought to justice.

She further disclosed that security has been reinforced in the area as investigations continue.

As of press time, no arrest has been made, but police authorities have assured residents that normalcy is gradually returning to the area. (TRIBUNE)