No fewer than 18 persons have been arrested by operatives of the Ogun State Police Command following the murder of a popular ‘area boy’ called Tommy in Abeokuta, the state’s capital.
Tommy was reportedly killed late on Thursday night at Panseke by some yet-to-be-identified persons
The victim was said to be a resident of Oluwo and was trailed to Panseke where he reportedly went to buy food.
Pandemonium reportedly broke out when some men with various weapons stormed the place and pounced on Tommy.
He was reportedly dealt several machete cuts by the assailants who waited till he breathed his last before leaving the scene.
The development forced many residents of Oluwo to flee their homes as the area was gripped by palpable fear.
A gory picture of the deceased sighted by our correspondent showed that he was hacked to death.
A source said his assailants butchered him in the head and other parts of his body, leaving him dead in a pool of his blood.
It was gathered that the victim might have been killed by members of the Aiye confraternity, as he was rumoured to have been a member of the rival Eiye cult group.
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When our correspondent visited some areas in Oluwo and Panseke on Friday morning, there was tension in the air over the fear of possible reprisals.
Our correspondent confirmed that shops and residential buildings were under lock and key at Oluwo.
The area which is mostly populated by students was deserted as many of them were already planning to travel to their various homes.
At the time our correspondent visited Oluwo, people were seen running helter-skelter as some stern-looking guys moved about on motorcycles.
A source in the area told our correspondent, “There is going to be a serious fight in Oluwo. That man killed is not going to die like that. He was a very popular man in Abeokuta. Please take cover and stay safe.”
When contacted, the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the incident, saying it was a cult clash.
Oyeyemi said 18 persons had been arrested in connection with the killing.
He enjoined residents of the area not to panic, saying, the police was on top of the situation.
Oyeyemi said, “It was a cult clash and the cultists killed one of them last night around Panseke. 18 suspects have since been arrested in connection with the incident.
“The people need not be afraid. We have deployed policemen to the area. We are on top of the situation.”
