Abuja — The communal clash between the people of New Bakassi local government area and their neighbours, Akpabuyo local government area has left two persons dead and 15 others seriously injured.

Property estimated at several millions of naira was destroyed during the clash. Several houses were destroyed as a deadly cult group unleashed mayhem on the New Bakassi local government council on Monday and Tuesday.

Not less than 15 persons are already in the police net as two fetish shrines with human skulls have been uncovered in Ikang town in the New Bakassi following the fracas and the urgent response by the police and the state emergency response team.

The Bakassi council officials yesterday confirmed the incident but denied the death of any person even though the locals involved in the clash said the cult group killed two people.

Some persons in the area have attributed the incident to a clash between the neighbouring Akpabuyo Council and the newly established New Bakassi carved out of the Akpabuyo council in the wake of Nigeria losing Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroun in the World Court in 2002.

But the Vice Chairman of the New Bakassi Council, Mr. Ene Cobham, told newsmen that "the clash was between a notorious cult group and the Bakassi Council over revenue points and it has nothing to do with Akpabuyo council".

He equally denied rumours from the community that two persons died but however confirmed that "not less than 15 persons were arrested by the police and security men of the Operation MESA" put in place by the state government to handle emergency cases.

He said two dangerous fetish shrines in the heart of Ikang and Asin Ufot Ikang belonging to the rampaging cult group have been uncovered by the police and "a human skull, several raps of Indian hemp, about 20 masquerade masks and other fetish things were found at the shrines".

Already, Cobham said the leader of the cult group is on the run but a councillor in the New Bakassi, Mr. Effanga Ekeng was yesterday suspended from council for three months for an alleged involvement with the cult group.

Meanwhile, the Bakassi council chairman, Mr Ignatius Edet who is said to be very bitter with the crisis has set up a five-man committee to investigate the matter. Cobham explained that the conflict ensued between the cult group and the council as they (cult members) kicked against the new revenue committee put in place by the Bakassi council recently to handle revenue matters for the council.

He however confirmed that the police have brought the situation under control and the state government has equally been informed. The state police public relations officer, Mr Tom Adama Opene could not be reached for comments but police sources confirmed the arrest and the discovery of the two shrines with human skull and other fetish things.