Date: 2021-05-30

A least one person suspected to be a cultist has been feared killed while others sustained serious injuries during the clash between them and men of the state police command yesterday in Ilorin, Kwara State capital.

THISDAY checks revealed that, the suspected cultists from Baboko, Oja Titun and Surulere axis of the ancient town have been engaging themselves in a supremacy battle before it finally turned into bloody situation in the affected areas.

It was further learnt that, it was at this point that men of the police force from Surulere and other divisions were drafted to the troubled areas so as to restore normalcy.

Sources said that, the development led to the arrest of one of the cultists who was handcuffed but later jumped into river canal at Surulere area of the town.

The aggrieved warring factions it was learnt mobilised for a reprisal and possibly force the release of their arrested colleagues at the Surulere Police Division, thereby leading to fierce exchange of fire from both sides.

Contacted, the state police command Public Relations Officer, Ajayi Okasanmi who confirmed the incident told our correspondent that, "We had gone to put a situation under control this morning involving two cult groups and we made some arrests.

"These boys mobilised themselves and begin to attack the police as a result of one of them who jumped inside a canal in Surulere while trying to evade arrest.

"We called the Fire Service to retrieve the body but the boys came to disrupt them and then later the police retrieve the corps from the cult guys."

He added that, "some of those people you saw at the police headquarters came to express their grief over the death of one of them"

He however said, the police had launched an investigation into the matter.