Osun State Police Command yesterday confirmed that no fewer than six persons were killed in violent clashes between two rival cult groups in Ilesa town of the state.
The state’s Police Public Relations Officer, Yemisi Opalola said the clashes occurred late on Monday.
According to sources in the area, contrary to the figure given by the police as casualties following the clashes, a security source and resident of Ilesa who preferred anonymity disclosed that eight people actually lost their lives.
The source said the clashes occurred in Osun Ankara, Iloro and Idasa areas, all within the Ilesa metropolis late on Monday.
He also said the clashes involved a cult group called ‘Aye’ and a rival group named ‘Eiye’, adding that at least six out of the eight people killed were hit by stray bullets.
“It was the Aye members that came from the outskirts of the town to attack the Eiye group. It was like a reprisal. Out of the eight that were killed, six were hit by stray bullets,” the source stated”.
Speaking on the action taken by the police to stop further escalation, Opalola said more operatives had been deployed to the affected areas.
