Amid a rising wave of insecurity gripping Ondo State, a brutal cult clash has left five people dead in Ondo City, Ondo West Local Government Area, sending shockwaves through the community and reigniting concerns about the state’s deteriorating security architecture.
The deadly confrontation, which erupted between rival cult groups—believed to be the notorious Aye and Eiye confraternities—unfolded in the early hours of Monday. One victim was reportedly gunned down at FFF Junction in the Oka area, while three others were slaughtered in a hail of bullets near the bustling Ife Garage vicinity.
Confirming the grisly attack, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ayanlade Olushola, revealed that multiple arrests had been made in connection with the killings, assuring residents that investigations were underway to bring the perpetrators to justice.
But this cult-related bloodbath is just one thread in a growing tapestry of violence in Ondo State.
In another chilling development, SaharaReporters reported that suspected terrorists abducted three members of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry on Monday evening in the Kasemola area of Ogbese, Akure North Local Government Area. The victims were returning home after a Bible study session when they were ambushed and whisked away into the night.
A message from the church’s leadership broke the devastating news:
“Good morning, beloved. Kindly pray along with us. Three of our members were kidnapped yesterday after Bible study at Kasemola inside the Ogbese axis.”
Police Spokesman SP Ayanlade also confirmed the abduction to Channels Television, noting that a joint operation involving the Nigeria Police, the Nigerian Army, and the Amotekun Corps had been launched to comb the dense forests around the area in a bid to locate and rescue the captives.
Meanwhile, fear is mounting in Owo town following a terrifying threat by unknown terrorists to strike again at St. Francis Catholic Church—the same church where a massacre took place on June 5, 2022, claiming the lives of 41 innocent worshippers during a Pentecost Sunday service.
This new threat, reportedly delivered through an anonymous letter sent to church officials, ominously warned that more bloodshed would “erupt soon.” Though no date was specified, the chilling reminder has reopened old wounds and renewed anxiety among residents still haunted by the horrors of that tragic day—when 69 others were injured, many of whom continue to bear the scars, both visible and unseen.
As insecurity deepens across Ondo State—from cult violence to kidnappings and terrorist threats—calls for urgent and decisive government action are growing louder. Residents are pleading for increased surveillance, intelligence gathering, and a stronger security presence to stem the tide of bloodshed before more lives are lost.
PIONEER NEWS 