The ongoing cult war in the Diobu axis of Port Harcourt took a deadly turn on Wednesday night, June 4, 2025. Suspected members of a Deygbam cult faction shot and killed a local vigilante identified as Sango along Echue Street in Mile 2, Diobu. According to eyewitness accounts, the attack occurred around 10:00 p.m.
The victim was ambushed by armed assailants believed to be part of a rival cult group involved in a supremacy battle. This battle has gripped the area for weeks. Sources familiar with the situation told our reporter that though the deceased was part of a local vigilante, he was also allegedly affiliated with one of the feuding Deygbam cult factions.
In a separate incident, the same night, a young woman who had come to visit her brother at Mile 1, Diobu, was reportedly killed by a stray bullet during a shootout between cult groups.
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All efforts to get an official response from the Rivers State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the command’s spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, did not respond to calls or text messages as of the time of filing this report.
However, several members of the vigilante group spoke on condition of anonymity. They confirmed the killing of their colleague by suspected cultists. The recent violence adds to a disturbing trend in the area:
On Sunday night, a taxi driver identified as Barnabas was shot dead in front of his residence on Echue Street, Mile 2 Diobu. On Friday, May 30, suspected Deygbam cult members reportedly took over Education Bus Stop along Ikwerre Road. They engaged in a prolonged shootout that lasted over 15 minutes.
A known cultist identified as Ishie was gunned down near the railway axis at Mile 1 Diobu in May. Residents have expressed growing concern over the wave of cult-related killings. They have called on security agencies to intensify efforts to restore peace to the troubled communities.
