By Deborah Nnamdi
A 30-year-old man, Darlington Watson, was on Wednesday evening, stoned to death by rival cult members at the Agudama-Epie community in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, as the ongoing cult war between the Greenlanders and Bobous intensified.
Darlington, a member of the Greenlanders cult group, was reportedly dragged out of a moving tricycle before he was stoned to death by the rival group.
Several lives have been lost in the ongoing cult war between the Bobous and Greenlanders over the control of the new transport terminal at the Igbogene community on the outskirts of Yenagoa.
An eyewitness, who refused to identify himself for security reasons, said, “The boy was in a tricycle (keke) when suspected members of a rival cult group stopped the vehicle, dragged him out, and brutally assaulted him with sticks and stones until he succumbed to his injuries and gave up the ghost.
“The incident occurred around 5:15 pm on Wednesday, opposite one of the Pentecostal churches at Agudama-Epie in Yenagoa.”
The eyewitness said the family of the deceased had already taken away the corpse for burial and the assailants fled the scene before a police patrol team arrived.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Bayelsa State Command, Mr Musa Mohammed, confirmed the incident on Thursday saying investigations had been intensified to apprehend all those involved in the gruesome act.
Mohammed also advised young people against involvement in cults and other criminal groups.
His words: “Information at my disposal has it that yesterday (Wednesday) at about 1900 hours, the Divisional Police Officer led the patrol team to the area.
“Bobous and Greenlander cult groups were clashing at Agudama-Epie. In the process, one Darlington Walson, a 30-year-old from the community and a member of the Greenlander group, as well, was inflicted with machete cuts and stoned to death by the rival group.
“On arrival at the scene, the family of the deceased had evacuated the corpse for burial. Investigation has been intensified to apprehend the suspects involved in the killing.”
