The ongoing cult violence in the Diobu area of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, took a deadly turn on Wednesday night, June 4, 2025, with the killing of a local security operative and a young woman caught in the crossfire.

Mr. Sango, a member of a local vigilante group, was shot dead at around 10:00 pm on Echue Street, Mile 2 Diobu, allegedly by rival factions of the Deygbam cult groups, who have been engaged in a fierce supremacy battle in the area for over three weeks.

Sources familiar with the incident revealed that although Mr. Sango was officially a vigilante, he was suspected to be affiliated with one of the warring Deygbam cult factions, making him a target in the ongoing conflict.

In a related tragedy, a young woman visiting her brother at Mile 1 Diobu was reportedly killed by a stray bullet during a shootout between cult members on the same night.

Efforts to obtain official comments from the Rivers State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe Koko, did not respond to calls or messages.

However, several vigilante members who spoke anonymously confirmed the killing of their colleague by suspected cultists.

This latest violence is part of a continuing wave of clashes between cult groups in Port Harcourt. Just last Sunday night, a taxi driver named Barnabas was shot dead at his home on Echue Street, Mile 2 Diobu, in a similar attack.

Earlier, on a Friday, rival Deygbam factions clashed violently in a shootout lasting over 15 minutes at the Education Bus Stop on Ikwerre Road.

Last month, another cult faction member, identified as Ishie, was killed at the Railway Axis, Mile 1 Diobu.

The escalating violence has heightened concerns about the safety of residents in these areas, with calls growing for urgent intervention to restore peace and security.