Panic has gripped residents of Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, following the fresh cult clashes by rival cult groups.
Three persons are feared killed so far in the fresh reprisal attacks by the cultists since Sunday in the city.
Armed policemen have been stationed at strategic locations in the city to contain the spread of the attack by members of aye and eiye confraternity.
The fresh attack started on Sunday night when a popular area boy was shot dead and hacked along Quarry road in Abeokuta.
Later, two persons were reported killed on Monday night opposite a filling station at Ijaye junction in the city.
Also on Monday night, there were reported clashes by cultists at Obantoko axis, during which gunshots fired, forcing business owners to hurriedly close shops.
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The situation further degenerated on Tuesday, when a group of cultists engaged armed policemen in a shoot-out at Iyana-mortuary, close to where two persons were feared killed on Monday night.
The state police commissioner, Lanre Bankole, directed assistant police commissioner Bolanle Murtala to move to Ijaye axis, following a distress call.
Spokesman of the police command, Superitendent Abimbola Oyeyemi said the cultists who were engaging in a supremacy battle opened gunfire on the police team when they sighted them.
Oyeyemi said the police team arrested seven of the cultists and restored peace to the area.
Those arrested, according to him, are Kazeem Ogundairo, Nasir Idris, Olaitan Taiwo, Ayo Joshua, Damilare Shogbamu, Bisiriyu Owoyele and Labulo Jamiu.
The fresh cult clashes have created fear in parts of the city.
The state police commissioner has directed the continuous clamp down on known cultists to end the threat posed to the state.
During similar reprisal attacks a few weeks ago, over the killing of another area boy at pansheke, several people died in Abeokuta and Sagamu.
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