Army kills five suspected cultists in Rivers

Troops of the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt have five suspected cultists in Omoku, headquarters of Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Council of Rivers State.

The Guardian learnt they were executed in the early hours of yesterday during a gun duel.

The General Officer Commanding, Major General Kasimu Abdulkarim, who confirmed the incident, said five AK 47 riffles have so far been recovered from hoodlums in the area since the beginning of the year.

“ We have recovered a total of five AK47 riffles from cultists in the area since January 1,” he said.

Community sources said the army responded to a distress when the cultists stormed the town shooting sporadically.

It was further learnt that the cultists had killed two young men before the soldiers closed in on them.

Also yesterday, there was palpable tension in Yenagoa, as two persons were reportedly killed Tuesday when gunmen invaded the popular Swali Market in the Bayelsa State capital.

The Guardian gathered that the incident, which occurred around 4:00 p.m., threw the entire market into confusion as sellers and buyers scampered for safety.

The Police Public Relations Officer for the State Command, Asinim Buswat, who confirmed the incident, said: “Four gunmen with pistol attacked one Raymond Agada (male) of Swali community,” adding that the hoodlums shot the victim and dispossessed him of the N120,000 which he was going to deposit in a bank