By Dayo Johnson

Akure—THE supremacy battle between two rival cult groups has claimed the life of a middle-aged man, identified as Bolaji, at a birthday party in Ondo town, Ondo State, while many others were injured.

It was gathered that the deceased, said to be a strong member of Eiye Confraternity, attended the birthday party organized by another cult leader for his girlfriend at Ijoka Street, Ondo town, at 8:30pm.

Reports had it that the deceased was attacked when he came out of the venue of the party.

His killers, according to report, might have got information that he was at the party and decided to lay ambush for him.

However, another source told Vanguard that the deceased had an argument with another cult leader at the party, which triggered the attack.

In order not to create a scene, the leader of the group was said to have directed his boys to allow the party to end before attacking the deceased.

It was learned that his assailants pursued him to a relaxation centre and shot him.

Vanguard gathered that he died instantly, even before those who were at the relaxation centre could rush him to a nearby hospital.

By the time policemen invaded the relaxation centre, the place had been shut as its owner and her customers had fled the scene for fear of arrest.

Blood stains and broken bottles littered the floor of the relaxation centre.

The corpse of the deceased has been deposited at the Specialist Hospital in the town

The Divisional Police Officer, DPO, in charge of Enuowa Divisional Police station in Ondo town, where the report of the incident was lodged, Mr. Kunle Omisakin, confirmed the incident.

Police image maker, Wole Ogodo, confirmed the murder and promised that the command’s war against criminal activities had started yielding results, with the arrest and parade of the kingpin of a cult group in Akure last week

He said he cult leader, Kola Adigun, was paraded with 33 other cult members belonging to different cult groups across the state.

Ogodo said the killers of Bolaji would soon be apprehended by the special squad inaugurated by the command to rid the state of the activities of the dreaded groups

Meanwhile, security has been beefed up in the town to forestall possible reprisal attack from the other cult group.