Curfew has again been imposed on Ikere Ekiti, headquarters of Ikere Local Government Area of Ekiti state following another round of bloody cult clash that has claimed two lives.
This was made known in a statement by Mr Femi Ayodele, Chairman of the council, citing security reasons and the need to restore normalcy to the area on Wednesday.
It was gathered that this was the second time within two months that such curfew would be imposed for similar reasons.
It could be recalled that only last month, the town, which is the second largest in state after Ado Ekiti, was thrown into mourning as a result of killing of six persons while several others sustained varied degrees of injuries during a rival cult clash.
According to the Wednesday’s statement by the chairman, the 6 pm to 6 am curfew had become necessary as two people were reportedly killed by cultists on Tuesday, May 18, 2021.
He called on the people of the town to abide by the curfew as security personnel had been drafted to deal with recalcitrant persons who may wish to forment trouble, saying anyone caught violating the order would face the consequences.
“In view of the rising killings among the suspected cultists in lkere Local Government, the leadership of the Council has now imposed curfew from 6pm to 6am from today, Wednesday, May 19, 2021 to Sunday, May 23, 2021, to curtail this ugly act.
“This step is necessary following the killing of two people in lkere-Ekiti by suspected cultists on Tuesday 18h May 2021.
“This is to therefore call on the good people of lkere Local Government to adhere strictly to this instruction as security personnel will severely dealt with anyone arrested violating this order”, the statement reads in part.
Also speaking on the development, the spokesman of the Police Command in Ekiti, ASP Sunday Abutu, confirmed the incident, saying investigation had commenced and that security had been intensified in the area to forestall breakdown of law and order.
Six dead as rival cult groups clash in Ekiti