Tension in Warri as Suspected Cultists Attack Worshippers in Mosque

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By Our Reporter

There is palpable tension in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State as suspected cultists at about attacked and injured worshippers inside the Izalla mosque in the popular Hausa Quarters in the oil rich city of Warri.

Residents of the area have called on the Senator Ifeanyi Okowa led Delta State Government and relevant security agencies to come to their rescue as they are allegedly not safe to live in their community.

Details of what caused the attack which reportedly took the lives of two persons and got one hospitalised, were still sketchy at the time of this report, but impeccable sources within the community said it was related to cult clashes which has recently become synonymous with Igbudu Community in Warri South Local Government.

Our Correspondent reports that the suspected cultists who were over seventy (70) in number, stormed Hausa quarters with sophisticated guns and cutlasses to attack some persons who promptly ran into the mosque for safety.

The suspected cultists did not retreat as they entered the mosque to carry out the attack and shot sporadically in the area. Many people were left with various degrees of injuries before the arrival of the police and army who rescued the victims of the unfortunate attack.

A reliable source who confided in THE MANDATE, with a passionate appeal not to have his name in print for fear of being attacked by the dare devil cult boys, confirmed the incident.

He went further to say that police and army authorities have been adequately briefed about the ugly incident that has resulted in many of the able bodied youths in the area fleeing their homes.

According to our source, “Since three days now we have not been sleeping because of all these cult boys. The problem is that they use to move in the evenings looting and scattering people’s properties.”

“They came into the Mosque three days ago (Friday May 28, 2021) in the evening and started cutting and stabbing people who were praying and in the process residents of the area started scampering for safety. They attacked people praying in Izalla Mosque and started cutting them anyhow. We don’tknow the reason why they entered the Mosquefor such an attack.”

“Two people died in the process and were later carried away by the police. But the two persons that died were not part of the bad boys. You can confirm from the police. I will give you the police number to confirm what I am telling you.”

“We (elders of the community), held a meeting with the Area Commander day before yesterday (Friday) before you know, they came back in the evening around 7.30 to 8.”

“That one was not a small one, it was very brutal to the extent that one of our boys call Ani that sells fowl, said the thing was too much. He now mobilized the boys in the area and in the process of following them, he was shot in the stomach.”

“The boy is now receiving treatment in a private hospital (names withheld) in Warri. We have informed the police and the army. Already they are doing something. But we want government to come to our rescue so that we can sleep with our two eyes closed. Cult killings in this area is becoming something else.”

Another source who spoke on grounds of anonymity, alleged that the bad boys may have gone into the Mosque if the was a rival cult member worshipping in the Mosque at the time the cultist struck.

He however, condemned the act of entering into the Mosque to attack worshippers, adding that it was not jifiable as the Mosque remain a sacred place were people run into in times of crisis. He called on security operatives to fish out the attackers and make them to face the wrath of the law.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Bright Edafe, did not pick his call but he later replied a message sent to his WhatsApp where he said it was not true that suspected cult boys did not attack Mosque in Warri.
He simply said, “Meanwhile as per ur question, its absolutely false.”
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