Three persons were injured on Saturday in a clash among suspected cultists and vigilantes at Fugar in Estako Central Local Government Area of Edo State.
One house, four vehicles, a mechanic workshop and other property were razed.
Witnesses said trouble started when some boys were escorting the funeral procession of one of their age group members.
The witness explained that by tradition, when the “father” of an age group dies, the group is required to perform certain rites and give the children of the deceased some items, including a goat.
It was learnt that the age group started killing every goat in sight and forcefully seized people’s property, including giant cooking pots.
The Fugar Vigilance members reportedly stopped the men and retrieved the items they were said to have forcefully collected from the people.
But the age group members insisted that the items taken from them must be returned for the burial ceremony to continue.
Other members of Vikings Cult group were said to have unleashed violence on the community.
A house of the vigilante who shot their colleague was set ablaze.
Four vehicles, two of which were said to belong to the vigilantes and other property, were destroyed.
Chairman of the local government, Mr. John Akhigbe, reportedly facilitated the deployment of soldiers from Agenebode as policemen earlier drafted from Auchi could not manage the situation.
Akhigbe said those involved in the destruction of property would be prosecuted.
He said nobody was killed in the fracas though several persons were arrested.
Edo Police Command’s spokesman Chidi Nwabuzor, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), could not be reached for comments last night.
