AT least, five persons were on Sunday night killed in Rivers State, following a cult clash that erupted in two communities in the state.

The killers suspected to be cultists had murdered one Emenike believed to be a rival cult member in Rumuekini Community in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.

One of the deceased was killed and the body abandoned in a drainage in Rumuekini, while the disembodied head was displayed on the East-West Road area of Rumuosi.

A source told our correspondent that the community woke early on Monday and found the lifeless body in the drainage without the head.

Also in Omurele community in Ikwerre LGA of the state, suspected cultists also shot four persons dead on Sunday night.

Those killed during the cult attack were Okechukwu Enyindah, Bobo popularly called Banigo, Amadi, a.k.a. ‘Too much Money,’Timothy and one other person simply identified as Scatter.

Meanwhile, a social cultural organisation in the state, Ikwerre Youth Movement, has condemned the resurgence of killings and kidnappings in some parts of the state.

IYM noted that the upsurge in violence would affect the development of the rural communities if not tackled.

Speaking at the IYM secretariat in Isiokpo community, Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state, the President General of the body, Azubuike Wanjoku, sued for peace among residents of Ikwerre.

Wanjoku, who is the member representing Ikwerre State Constituency in the Rivers State House of Assembly, described as barbaric the act of beheading victims and warned youths to shun cultism.

While admonishing the people of Ikwerre to advise those involved in cultism to renounce it, Wanjoku wondered why the state government could not consolidate on the legacies of the past administration on security.

He said, “The Ikwerre Youth Movement is not happy over the upsurge in criminal activities in the state, especially as it affects  Ikwerre communities. Ikwerre communities have been undergoing a series of violent activities which is affecting development. We are calling on our youths to desist from cultism.

“We are calling on the state government live up to its responsibility of providing security for the people of the state. I wonder why the state governor could not consolidate on the security strategies set by the past administration in the state.”

However, the Public Relations Officer of the state Police Command, Mr. Nnamdi Omoni, said the police were aware of the incident at Rumuekini saying, “It is cult-related. The victim is a notorious cultist in the state by name Chukwemeka Emenike.

“He is one of the leaders of Deygbam in the state. His body is the mortuary for autopsy. The police are investigating to unravel the culprits and get them arrested.”