Lagos State has been thrown into fresh panic following the brutal killing of three residents in the Ebute Metta area as a result of an ongoing clash between rival cult groups.
The latest wave of violence, which occurred between Sunday and Monday, July 14, 2025, came barely days after cultists reportedly murdered a footballer in the same community.
The victims were identified simply as Agbara, Butcher, and a plumber whose identity is yet to be confirmed.
Sources within the neighbourhood revealed that the first victim, Agbara, was attacked and hacked to death on Sunday around Lagos Street in Ebute Metta. A resident who spoke to Punch on Tuesday, under the condition of anonymity, recounted that Agbara’s corpse was discovered that evening with multiple machete wounds.
“I was at home when I heard people running and shouting. When I stepped out to find out, I was told that someone was being attacked further down the street. When we got there, we saw the lifeless body of the man known as Agbara, and his body was covered with deep machete cuts,” the resident said.
On Monday, in what was believed to be a reprisal attack, two more residents were murdered.
Butcher, the second victim, was reportedly killed late Monday night in the Makoko area. Another resident explained that Butcher was found dead in the early hours of Tuesday, his body wrapped in cloth with severe neck injuries.
“They called him Butcher because his father sold meat. His death shocked many of us because he was popular around here. He also left behind a pregnant wife,” the source said.
The third victim, a plumber whose name was not known as of the time of filing this report, was also killed on Monday. He was dragged to a spot along Abeokuta Street where he was stabbed to death. His corpse was later found under the Abeokuta bridge, his throat slit.
“Initially, people thought he was being dragged away for owing someone. It was only later that his corpse was discovered under the bridge with his throat slashed. This is terrifying. We want the police to urgently restore peace. The situation is worsening,” the resident lamented.
Reacting to the spate of cult killings, the Lagos State Police Command said measures have been put in place to combat the violence. The command’s spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, stated on Tuesday that Anti-Cultism Squads had been deployed to all Area Commands across the state to tackle the menace.
He assured residents that the police are determined to restore normalcy in Ebute Metta and bring those responsible for the killings to justice.