Residents flee homes as cultists clash in Rivers

Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

Thousands of residents of Bukuma in Degema local area of Rivers State have fled their homes following clashes between Icelander cult group and the Degbam cult.

According to Ombo Benibo, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Degema local council who visited the displaced persons to distribute relief materials, blamed community heads and leaders for not doing enough to resolve the issues that led to the clash.

He also called on the Rivers State government to come to the aid of the displaced persons.

Confirming the incident this morning through telephone, the spokesman of the Rivers State Police Command, Omoni Nnamdi said one person has been arrested in connection with the incident.

“When the Police was alerted over the incident, the Divisional Police Officer covering the area was alerted and normalcy was restored. The unfortunate incident was due to a rival cult clash between the Icelanders and Degbam. Police cannot confirm casualties.”

Under the concluded state amnesty programme that covered the 23 local government areas of the state, members of the different cult groups were told to surrender their arms to the amnesty committee but many did not.