The police in Anambra state have confirmed the arrest of a member of Black Axe Confraternity shortly after a bloody gun duel with a rival cult group known as Eiye Confraternity.
The clash, which claimed two lives and left others injured, according to a police source, occurred at Nkwelle-Ezunaka community in Oyi Local Government Area of the state, following an alleged long-standing dispute between the two rival groups, which they said has almost escalated beyond government control.
The statement added that on arrest, the suspect (names withheld), who admitted that he was actually a member of the Black Axe that had been having a series of bloody clashes with their Eiye rival group, made a confessional statement to the police during which he revealed the identities of members of his fellow Black Axe group.
During interrogation, the suspect, who was shot in his ankle by the rival group during their clash, was forced to disclose the names of some of their cult members as Simon Mmadukwe, Nwachukwu Oluebube Emmanuel, Somto Ikpe, Jude Nwali, Ifeanyi Uzor, Chibuzor Obineke and others, adding that the Eiye rival group had vowed to sustain the tempo of bloody clashes until members of the Black Axe are completely wiped out of existence.
He said following such a vow, some of their members have, out of fear of losing their lives, left Anambra state and relocated to other parts of Nigeria and even to Africa and Europe for the safety of their lives, particularly those who were either forced to join the cult group and those who are not yet bonafide members.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochuckwu Ikenga, told newsmen on the phone that he was not yet aware of the incident and promised to make necessary inquiries and get back to journalists. However, a superior police officer who preferred anonymity confirmed the incident, adding that the ugly development has imposed fears among innocent citizens in the area as they now scamper for safety at the slightest scenario.
The anonymous officer, however, noted that the police were on top of the situation as they were intensifying efforts to apprehend both members of the cult groups involved in the clashes for prosecution.
