Traditional rulers in Bodo city, Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State, have scampered for safety, following the reports that their names were in a wanted list compiled by cultists terrorising the area.
Bodo City has been at the mercy of cultists for over two months as the devil minded killers have continued to operate at will.
It was learned that between last week Monday and yesterday, the bandits have killed three people and sacked many households.
State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Nwonyi Emeka, had, weekend, visited Bodo over the development and called for calm, but three days later, the cultists struck again, killing one.
A youth leader in the community, Justice Koozor, disclosed that the cultists invaded the community, yesterday morning under heavy gunfire and killed a youth,adding that the cultists have taken over the community’s farmland and that people can no longer access their farms.
He said: “This morning (yesterday), we were told that a cult group led by one Donkey and Sticky-John was coming. They came in this morning with their guns, parading around and shooting.
“They killed somebody and nobody was able to go to farm this morning. Many people are planning to pack out of the community because of insecurity.
“The boys came and killed people and ran into the bush. They are everywhere in the bush. Bodo is not at peace.”
However, the Vice-Chairman of Bodo Council of Traditional Rulers, Mene Joseph Poiba, Head, Bangha Dynasty, Bodo, expressed fears that the cultists were being sponsored to destroy the community.
Poiba said the cultists have a list of chiefs they want to kill, including himself, stating that the chiefs were in hiding at the moment.
He called on Governor Siminalayi Fubara to urgently intervene in the development, noting that their farmlands have been taken over by cultists.
Poiba, who made the call on behalf of the chiefs, elders and other stakeholders in the community during what appears to be a protest in the community, condemned the murder of another youth by the cultists.
He said: “This morning, we saw cult boys, they came and killed somebody. I suggest that the governor should intervene. Both women and men are in fear. We are in hiding. They are sending people to spoil our community.
“We are calling on the governor to set up committee to investigate what is going on in Bodo. Some of our people, who are outside the community are sponsoring these cultists to kill.
“Even, as I talk, my name is on the list of the people they want to kill. The names of all the traditional rulers are with the boys to kill. I beg the governor to come to our aid.”
