Yenagoa – The Bayelsa State Police Command has arrested 10 suspected cultists over a violent attack in Yenagoa that claimed one life and left three others with gunshot injuries.
The suspects were rounded up during a police raid at the Obele end of Ovom in the state capital following Sunday’s deadly clash involving suspected cult members and local metal scavengers popularly known as “Iron Condemned.”
Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, CP Iyamah Daniel, said the operation was launched after residents sent a distress call alleging that armed cultists were on a shooting spree, robbing people of their mobile phones and other valuables.
Police investigations revealed that the gang allegedly stormed the Obele community at night, attacking residents and dispossessing them of their belongings.
The suspected cultists, however, reportedly met stiff resistance from the “Iron Condemned” group, who refused to surrender their phones and valuables, leading to a gun battle.
A community source said panic gripped the area as gunshots rang out, forcing many residents to flee into their homes for safety.
“The boys were on a massive raid. Many residents were caught unawares, while others ran into their houses. The ‘Iron Condemned’ boys resisted handing over their phones, and the cult boys opened fire on them,” the source said.
One of the victims later died in hospital after sustaining severe gunshot wounds, while three others survived and are receiving treatment.
CP Daniel assured residents that those behind the attack would be prosecuted, stressing that the command remains committed to tackling cult-related violence across the state.
He also urged members of the public to remain vigilant and continue providing useful information to security agencies, noting that community support is vital in the fight against crime.
