Two suspected cultists were killed on Sunday night at Ekuigbo, on the outskirts of Ughelli, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, during a shootout between two rival cult groups.
The shootout, it was learnt, started at 9pm near Tozak Hotel, on the Ughelli-Warri Expressway in Ekuigbo.
The victims were said to have died on the spot.
Colleagues of one of the dead reportedly fled the scene while friends of their rivals carried away the remains of their member.
The body of the other victim, said to be in his late 20s, was still in the middle of the road at 9:40pm on Sunday night, while the police from Ughelli ‘A’ Division and the vigilantes popularly called Bakassi, were seen near the hotel, investigating the incident.
A vigilante, who spoke in confidence, said the victim died on the spot, following the gunshot he got at close range on the back of his head.
He said: “This guy has been on our wanted list for a while. He is a hit man, who has been the brain behind most of the recent cult-related killings in Ughelli.”
Also, a food vendor opposite the hotel gave the name of one of the victims simply as Ovigue.
She said his father operates a record store on Market Road in Ughelli.
She said: “We were standing here, attending to customers, when suddenly we heard gunshots with two persons falling to the ground.”