Armed policemen have been deployed to Ijebu Igbo in Ogun State following clashes between members of a secret cult and Oodu’a Peoples Congress (OPC) after a political meeting in the town.
Special units of police force including the mobile police force, federal special anti-robbery squad as well as the anti-cult unit and top police officers moved to the town to restore order.
Spokesman of the state police command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said three people were killed in the clash including a police officer, a member of OPC and a suspected cultist.
“Some members of the OPC and Aiye cult group clashed on Sunday. One OPC member was shot dead and one member of Aiye cult group was also shot dead.
“This morning, while our men were on routine patrol, they were ambushed by suspected hoodlums. They shot dead one Police Inspector and another one was seriously injured.
“The injured policeman is recuperating in a hospital,” he stated.
But witnesses say about six people died in the clashes.
Several people were also injured in the clash, which began on Sunday evening from a political gathering, earlier addressed by a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader in the state, Senator Buruji Kashamu.
There were sustained gunshots throughout the night in the town as the two groups engaged each other in bloody clashes across the town.
The fighting resumed early on Monday forcing shops and banks to hurriedly close for the day, while the streets were deserted.
Police spokesman said that police and other security agencies have restored order in the town.
