Police

The Police Command in Rivers on Monday said some suspected cultists had been arrested in connection with the death of three persons in Mgbodohia, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.

The command’s spokesman, Mr Nnamdi Omoni, a Deputy Superintendent Police (DSP), confirmed the arrest to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt.

Omoni, however, could not give a specific figure of the arrested suspects.

He said that the three persons were killed on Saturday during a fight for supremacy between two rival cult groups – Iceland and Deybam in the community.

The police spokesman said that preliminary investigation into the clash had shown that the fight resulted from disagreement over who should collect a certain illegal levy in the community.

NAN reports that the illegal fee collected from those buying land in the community is known as “bush entering or marching ground” in the state.

It will be recalled that Gov. Rotimi Ameachi’s administration abolished the levy, making it illegal and punishable on conviction.

According to Omoni, the investigation showed that the two cult groups had the history of clashing over who should collect the illegal levy.

He however said normalcy had returned to the community due to the deployment of police personnel to the area.

The command’s spokesman urged the residents who had fled the community due to the crisis to return home.

“I appeal to the residents of the state to furnished police with meaningful information on the activities of the hoodlums in their areas,’’ he said.