Tension gripped residents of Diobu in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Sunday evening after a suspected intra-cult shootout claimed the life of a yet-to-be-identified man.
The incident, which occurred along Abakaliki Street in the Mile 1 axis, was linked to a violent clash between rival factions Doggies and White Eagle of the Deybam cult group.
Sources familiar with the development said the confrontation, which unfolded on Easter Sunday, stemmed from a dispute involving a young woman, leading to a breakdown of peace between members of the same cult network.
A resident, who spoke under anonymity due to security concerns, revealed that both men involved in the altercation belonged to different factions within the group and had been at odds over their interest in the same woman.
“The two are from different houses within the same cult. The issue started because of a lady they both wanted.
When they encountered each other, an argument broke out and quickly escalated into gunfire,” the source explained.
In the ensuing chaos, the victim was reportedly shot shortly after stepping out of a nearby shop, as armed men believed to be linked to the clash drove by and opened fire.
The shooting triggered panic across the neighbourhood, forcing residents to scamper for safety amid fears of stray bullets and possible reprisals.
The Rivers State Police Command confirmed the incident, describing it as a cult-related conflict.
The command’s spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, said the clash was part of ongoing rivalries within the cult group in the area.
She disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, had ordered an intensive manhunt for the perpetrators, while additional security personnel had been deployed to forestall further breakdown of law and order.
Following the attack, officers from the Mile 1 Police Division were said to have recovered the victim’s body after the assailants fled the scene.
The development highlights the persistent threat posed by recurring cult violence in parts of Port Harcourt, particularly in Diobu, where clashes among rival factions have continued despite repeated law enforcement interventions.
