At least ten persons are feared killed in various parts of Benin City on Thursday as a result of a clash between suspected cult members said to belong to Black Axe popularly called Aye and Eiye confraternities.

Eyewitness account said the killings were triggered by the one year memorial of two kingpins of the two rival cult groups identified as Africa said to be a leader of Aye and John Terry said to be of the Eiye group.

Both were killed in a clash between the groups late 2018 and early 2019 at Osemwende Street junction along Murtala Muhammed Way, Esigie Street junction at Murtala Muhammed Way and St. Saviour Road, MM Way by Osa Market.

Others were killed at the front of EDPA along Sokponba Road, Isiuwa Street opposite St. Saviour Road, near Ohuoba Primary School, Nomayo junction, Aifuwa and Three House area along Upper Sokponba.

An eyewitness said over 30 persons hid inside his shop at Three House junction while the cult boys were shooting sporadically.

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It was gathered that some suspects arrested in connection to last year’s cult killings especially the killings of the two leaders were released last month.

The renewed clash has allegedly resulted in indiscriminate arrests by the police but when contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Chidi Nwabuzor said he was expecting detailed briefing on the killings.

Nwabuzor while reacting to the allegation of indiscriminate arrests, however, said the police as an institution has a right to randomlý arrest people within the vicinity of the crime, screen them and release those found innocent.

In another development members of the Vikings, the cult group have reportedly clashed with members of Aye Confraternity in Auchi, leaving the victims with various degree of injuries.

Similarly, another cult group, Maphites have reportedly clashed with another rival cult group at the university town of Ekpoma.

However, a statement by the Director-General, Legends Anti-violence Foundation, Kadiri Christopher, called on the youths to be “reasonable and wise in the choice of company and associations they keep”.

He further called on the Edo State Governor to assist NGOs that are at the forefront of peace in order to help the state regain her glory.

Meanwhile, the Edo State Government has condemned the spike in cult-related killings in the state, cautioning that government will not condone any act of violence or anyone who exploits delinquent youths to cause mayhem in the state.

In a statement, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr Crusoe Osagie, said it has become expedient to sound a note of warning to anyone disrupting public peace and safety, noting that security agencies will spare no resources in bringing violators to book.

According to him, “We are working closely with the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant security agencies in the state to arrest the rise in cult clashes. We assure that these clashes will be contained.”

He cautioned parents to keep a close eye on their children and monitor their whereabouts so they would not be used to do the bidding of desperate persons.