No fewer than eight persons were killed and 17 others injured during a bloody cult war and an auto crash in Ondo town and Akoko area of the state.
Six persons were gruesomely murdered while eight others were injured in Ondo town during a supremacy battle between cult groups in the town.
Also, two persons died and nine other injured in an auto crash which occured along Afin-Okeagbe road in Akoko Northwest Local Council Area of the state.
Vanguard gathered that the six persons killed in the cult clash occurred around Ife Garage, Sabo, and Christ Land in the Oka area of the Ondo city.
They were shot by masked men suspected to be members of a rival cult group.
Meanwhile, tension has reportedly gripped the town following the bloody clash between the cult group members.
Contacted, the spokesperson for the state police command, Ayanlade Olayinka, confirmed the bloody clash by the cult groups.
Ayanlade, described the deceased as notorious cult members who had been on the police command’s wanted list.
He said that “The command can confirm the murder of four people and five injured, all of whom belong to one cult group or the other.
“I want to appeal to members of the community to go about their lawful businesses without fear or panic. Security agencies are on ground to protect lives and property.”
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Speaking on the police raid of the hideout of the suspected cult members,the police image maker, said that “Desperate times require desperate actions. Anyone arrested during the raid has one or two things to do with the clash.
“Our men have acted rightly, and if any of them are found to have acted wrongly, they will face disciplinary action. But if they have done the right thing, people should commend them.”
Ayanlade said that efforts were ongoing to apprehend those behind the killings.
Vanguard learnt that police detectives are currently patrolling New Garage in Ayeyemi, believed to be a stronghold of one of the cult group.
Meanwhile, two lives were lost in the auto crash while nine others were injured.
Eyewitness account said that the accident involved a Toyota Sienna bus traveling to Abuja.
The commercial bus reportedly somersaulted after it had a burst tyre.
Speaking on the crash, the Ondo Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Samuel lbitoye who confirmed the crash, said that the corpses of the victims have been deposited at the morgue.
Ibitoye, said that those injured in the crash were rushed to the Okeagbe Akoko General Hospital for treatment.”
He urged drivers to exercise caution on the highways, emphasizing the importance of vehicle maintenance and safe driving practices to prevent such accidents.
According to him “This incident highlights the need for regular vehicle checks and adherence to traffic rules to ensure safety on Nigerian roads.
He said that ” The Federal Road Safety Corps has consistently emphasized the importance of responsible driving and proper vehicle maintenance in preventing accidents.
