School principal, one other dies as rival cult groups clash in Akwa Ibom

A deadly clash between rival cult groups in Oron Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, has resulted in the deaths of two individuals, including a high school principal.

The victims, identified as Paul Eyo and Ekpe, were killed in the violent confrontation.

Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Police, Joseph Eribo, reported that Paul Eyo, believed to be a member of the Black Axe cult group, suffered fatal machete wounds to the head.

Ekpe, the principal of a local high school and suspected member of the Vikings cult, was gruesomely beheaded during the incident.

During a press briefing at the police headquarters in Uyo, Commissioner Eribo announced the arrest of three suspects Mfon Etim Uzoma, Robert Effiong Etim, and Malachi Williams Ubokulo in connection with the killings.

Acting on credible intelligence, the police apprehended the suspects in a ravine located in Abiak Owo Ebughu, Mbo Local Government Area, where they had been hiding.

This violent episode highlights the ongoing surge of cult-related violence in Akwa Ibom State.

Previously, police had arrested 54 suspected cult members involved in similar conflicts, pointing to the growing menace of cultism in the region.