23 People died, hundreds initiated by force as rival cultists clash in Delta state

The Cult groups operating in Asaba community, Ibusa and Ughelli in Delta State have unleashed terror on their rival group members, killing 23 in the last two weeks. The police claim they have arrested 36 suspects. The current cult war in Delta communities took a new turn as cult groups moved from house to house allegedly forcing people to be initiated or pay through their nose a sum of N300,000. According to reports from Leadership, the acting public relations officer in the state, DSP Charles Muka, on Sunday said that the police detectives have arrested 36 cultists, adding that upon interrogation, they have made useful statements indicating their membership of different cult groups. The Police boss confirmed that the rampaging cultists have initiated membership drive from house to house in Asaba, Ughelli and Ibusa communities. DSP Muka also disclosed that the police was battle-ready to rid the state of cult activities. It was gathered that there have been occasions when many persons have had to abandon their university education due to incessant harassment from cult groups in their institutions. Only recently, a middle aged man and a suspected cultist was allegedly killed during a cult clash by his gang members who took the corpse to Okwe community forest and secretly buried it before they were arrested by the police.