By Our Reporter
The police in Bayelsa State have arrested 17 suspected cultists in connection with the alleged killing of two graduates of the state-owned Niger Delta University, Amassoma, following renewed cult attacks in the state.
The suspects were reportedly arrested at the weekend along the Tombia-Ammasoma road.
Among the 17 persons were four suspected cyber fraudsters popularly known as the Yahoo Boys for allegedly sponsoring the killings of the two students.
Senior police sources noted that the arrest of the suspected killer-cultists was made possible by the ‘stop-and-search’ operation mounted on the road by the men of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) headed by one police officer, CSP Bishop Elemide.
It was gathered that upon receiving the police radio alert of the incident which occurred at Gbarantoru area off Ammassoma road, the RRS squad mounted a road block and apprehended the hoodlums when a Suzuki mini-bus was stopped.
A police source stated: “We saw over 13 boys cramped inside the vehicle with blood stains on a few of the suspects. Their machetes were also stained with blood. The police immediately suspected they were the ones who carried out the killing.
“Upon questioning, the police discovered that they went to the scene of the crime in two mini-buses. One developed fault while escaping, and they decided to abandon it and use a minibus.”
Another police source, however, said the boys were suspected members of the notorious Vikings cult group, asserting that the killing of the two university graduates was sponsored by four Yahoo boys.”
Contacted on the development, the spokesman for the Bayelsa State Police Command, Musa Mohammed, confirmed that some arrests were made by the men of the RRS.
He, however, said that the level of involvement of each suspect was under investigation.
“Yes, some major arrests have been made and the command is investigating,” Mohammed said.
Meanwhile, a report has, however, claimed that the two murdered graduates were members of the Neo Black Movement known as Black Axe Aye, while others claimed they were members of the Bobos cult group.
Already, the members of the Vikings in the Bayelsa Varsity and other secondary and higher Institutions of learning in the state capital have reportedly gone into hiding for fear of reprisals.
Some fun seekers in bars and lounges in Yenagoa, the state capital, claimed to have noticed strange movements as some fearsome looking boys have been vigorously searching for rival cult members to take revenge on.
In the last week, some parts of Yenagoa have witnessed strange sounds of gunshots suspected to be an exchange of gunfire among rival cult groups.
On Sunday morning, two rival cult gangs threw the popular commercial hub, Swali ultra-modern market, into confusion with heavy exchange of gunshots, which led to the killing of one person.
While a police source claimed that some gunshots were from policemen chasing the cult boys driving around town in a covered plate-numbered car, others claimed the shooting was among rival cult groups.
A senior police officer assured that the State Commissioner of Police, Francis Idu, and his men were vigorously working around the clock to stem the worrisome trend.
The officer said: “We are working serious to end this nefarious cult clashes and bring those involved to book. We have made many arrests and the State Government have also provided support and warned politicians to steer clear of influencing the police investigation. Those arrested will face the law.”
@The Nation.