Key Points

• Four people died in a cult attack in Bayelsa’s Swali community.

• Rival cult groups, Greenlanders and Bobos, fought over market revenue.

• Bayelsa police restored order after the deadly cult clash.

On Easter Sunday, suspected cultists killed four people in Swali, a community in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

The assailants, believed to belong to rival cult groups, the Greenlanders and Bobos, attacked the community over control of revenue from a local market.

The attackers, masked and armed with AK-47 rifles, arrived at midnight in a Toyota Hilux truck. They shot indiscriminately, causing several injuries among the residents.

The violent assault was part of an ongoing supremacy battle between the two groups. A source stated that the Greenlanders and Bobos have clashed for some time over who controls the market revenue.

Eyewitnesses reported that the attackers showed no mercy and left the community devastated.

Lawmaker condemns violence

Ayibanegiyefa Egba, a member of the Bayelsa House of Assembly representing Yenagoa Constituency 1, condemned the attack.

He visited the community on Tuesday to express his condolences to the families of the victims.

Egba called for unity and vigilance in the aftermath of the attack. He also urged the youth to avoid vices and external influences that could lead them down dangerous paths, warning that such actions undermine the community’s peace and stability.

Police restore security

Musa Mohammed, the police spokesperson in Bayelsa, confirmed the attack and assured the public that security forces had increased their presence in Swali. “Normalcy has returned to the community,” Mohammed stated.

He emphasized that additional officers were deployed to prevent further violence. The police are working to maintain peace and ensure the safety of residents in Swali.