Tension has continued to mount in Asaba, the Delta State capital, following the murder of a bread seller by some gunmen suspected to be cultists.
SUNDAY PUNCH gathered that the deceased, Aboy Sidi, was killed on Thursday around 6.38pm in his shop on the popular Ibusa Junction by Nnebisi Road and was left in a pool of blood.
It was also gathered that the cult rivalry between the Black Axe and 2-2 Confraternity, which started last Sunday, had claimed the lives of four other persons.
It was learnt that the Black Axe, in preparation for the burial of one of their members, said to be a hit man, who was reportedly killed on Monday, had attacked the rival group on Friday.
Two persons were reported to have been killed in Bonssac and another two killed in Umuagwu.
One of the residents of Asaba, who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said, “In a week, five persons have been killed. This one they killed (on Thursday) was the fifth person. We are afraid.
It was also gathered that the slain bread seller was in his shop when the suspected cultists, who came on a tricycle (Keke) with four occupants, fired gunshots in the air to scare away people around the area before killing him.
The incident that occurred near the deceased’s house attracted his wife to the scene. It took the intervention of policemen to restore normalcy in the area.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, Andrew Aniamaka, said the remains of the deceased had been deposited in the mortuary, adding that the command had commenced investigation into the crime with a view to bringing the perpetrators to book.