A violent confrontation between rival cult groups in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, has claimed the life of a 30-year-old man, Darlington Watson, who was reportedly stoned to death by suspected members of a rival gang.
According to The PUNCH, the incident occurred on Wednesday evening at Agudama-Epie, a community in the state capital, as tensions escalated between the Greenlanders and Bobous cult groups over control of a transport terminal in Igbogene.
Eyewitnesses recounted that Watson, a member of the Greenlanders, was forcibly pulled out of a tricycle by suspected members of the opposing group before being brutally attacked.
“The boy was inside a keke (tricycle) when some young men stopped it, dragged him out, and started attacking him with sticks and stones,” an eyewitness, who declined to be named for security reasons.
“They beat him until he couldn’t move anymore, and he died on the spot. It happened around 5:15 pm, just opposite one of the Pentecostal churches here in Agudama-Epie.”
The assailants reportedly fled the scene before security operatives arrived, while the victim’s family swiftly retrieved his body for burial.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer for the Bayelsa State Command, Musa Mohammed, stated that law enforcement had intensified efforts to track down those responsible for the killing.
“Information at my disposal indicates that on Wednesday at about 1900 hours, the Divisional Police Officer led a patrol team to the area,” Mohammed said.
“The Bobous and Greenlanders were engaged in a clash at Agudama-Epie, during which Darlington Watson, a 30-year-old and member of the Greenlanders, was inflicted with machete cuts and later stoned to death by the rival group.”
He further urged young people to steer clear of cult-related activities, warning that law enforcement would not tolerate such acts of violence.
“The police are committed to restoring order and ensuring that those responsible for this gruesome act face justice,” he assured.
