Ikorodu communities have been plunged into mourning and fear after suspected cultists brutally murdered a young father in Bayeku, Lagos, on Sunday night.
The victim, identified as Akeem, popularly known as Babu, was not a cultist, according to residents. He was on his way to buy drinks during a candlelight and eighth-day prayer service when assailants believed to be members of the Eiye Confraternity stormed Bayeku by boat around 9 p.m.
Witnesses said the attackers beheaded Akeem, severed his left leg and right hand, and reportedly displayed the body parts at a shrine. He leaves behind three children, including a set of twins.
The killing has sent shockwaves through the community. “He was an innocent man who didn’t deserve this,” one resident said, visibly shaken. “Now his children are left without a father.”
Tensions between the rival groups have been simmering for weeks, following a violent altercation at a festival in Oreta, the assault of an Eiye member known as Sambo, and disputes over money. Community leaders believe these unresolved clashes culminated in Sunday’s gruesome attack.
The violence escalated further on Wednesday, when suspected Aye cultists launched a reprisal assault in Oreta, an Eiye stronghold, killing about five people. It remains unclear if those killed were cult members or innocent residents, fuelling growing fears that non-cultists are increasingly caught in the deadly feud.
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