Over 30 persons have been reportedly killed following fresh violence resulting from cult clashes in parts of Edo State since the night of last week Monday.

Around Ekosodin village near the Ugbowo campus of the University of Benin, Benin City, corpses of two victims simply identified as Osas and Jack Bauer were found at the Main Gate of the university on Friday morning, while the third, identified as Galaxy, was found along the Ekosodin Road.

Ekosodin community is renowned as a safe haven for notorious criminals and cult members who pose as undergraduates of the institution, but residents want a state of emergency to be declared to stop the regular killings in the community.

Some residents also reported that a number of students have been hacked to death in the dead of the night in the community as two rival unidentified cult groups battle for supremacy on campus.

Also, a 500 level Computer Science student of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, Osajie Osamudiamen, has also reportedly lost his life to the killings. While two others were killed in Ekpoma, six persons were allegedly shot dead in Benin City, capital of Edo State.

Osajie, the 500 level student was allegedly shot on the head at a close range at a night club in Ekpoma, headquarters of Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State.

A source disclosed that Osajie, who, until his death was the head of Buccaneer Fraternity in Ekpoma, had an issue with a rival cult group but the rift was said to have been settled before he was killed.

Another casualty in the renewed cult clash was a graduating female student of AAU who, it was gathered someone had acid poured on her face.

In Benin City, one Jonathan, a musician was said to have been killed at Atlantic Hotel, opposite the popular Ekiosa market in the heart of Benin City. An eye witness who pleaded anonymity alleged that Jonathan belonged to “Eiye” Confraternity.

According to the witness, the resultant effect of Jonathan’s death sparked off the reprisals among the various cult groups. This, he said resulted to the killing of about five persons on Saturday at different locations around Upper Sakponba area of Benin City. He said that the police seemed unaware or helpless on how to curtail the killings.

•Text courtesy Daily Newswatch. Photo shows Edo State Commissioner of Police, Foluso Adebanjo.

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