There is a serious panic in Aba, the commercial city of Abia State over the incessant killings of some suspected members of the dreaded Aro Cult Group.
AbaCityBlog reported that a group of youths under the umbrella name of “Aro Cult”, has been giving nightmares to residents, especially around Over-Rail, Uratta, Ndiegoro, Obohia, Osisioma and Ogbor-Hill axis of Aba.
Their activities have badly affected nightlife in Aba, as businesses that thrive mainly in the evening like beer parlous, restaurants, barbing saloons and eateries of different forms are now find it difficult to open operation in the night.
However, over the past one week, there has been reports that over ten of the known dreaded cultists have been killed by an unknown group of non-state actors with their bodies dumped for public display and later evacuated.
While this killing has caused panic among the residents, there is only one question, which is, who are those behind the killings?
“What’s happening is not a cult war”, a resident said. “This area is dominated by the members of the Aro Cult. They’re not at war with any other group, but what we’re seeing is a killing that looks like what Bakassi did here between 1999-and 2003.
“The people killing those boys are sending a direct message because their bodies are dumped where the owners will see them and the killings are not done with the fight. None of those killed so far was a stranger to the people of the area. They are known.
“They well known notorious boys. People are afraid because the killing is definitely not by the police or the army. Many are calling the killers unknown gunmen but I can’t place my hands on their identity,” a resident who craved anonymity told our reporter.
When contacted to know if IPOB has hands in the killing, Comrade Emma Powerful, IPOB spokesperson confirmed that the killing was done by them.
“Yes, we decided to remove these groups of cultists and hoodlums destroying IPOB reputations because people of Biafra are calling them IPOB and ESN members but they are not and IPOB want to redeem our respect Biafrans gave to us.
“IPOB is decent organisation championing the liberation of our great nation Biafra and we don’t anybody to enforce fictitious activities and calling IPOB name, again we don’t want our people to be be humiliated again by these vampires created and sponsored by unfortunate politicians in our land.
“Our mandate is restore Biafra freedom and independence peacefully not to humiliate our people at all. If we still keep quiet watching they continue destroying peaceful movement seeking freedom, time will come nobody will believe IPOB and ESN members. Anyone involved in destroying our territory will regret their evil actions.