Governor Dapo Abiodun’s order towards curbing cultism in Sagamu area of Ogun State has been welcomed with killings of no fewer than three persons in the local government.

The Governor had directed security agencies to carry out systematic raids in identified places where vendors of hard and other illicit drugs operate in Sagamu and its environs.

He gave the directive in his Oke-Mosan office, Abeokuta, when he received the new State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp, NSCDC, David Idowu Ojelabi and that of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Ibiba Jane Odili, when they paid him a courtesy visit.

Abiodun who expressed his displeasure over the activities of cultists in the local government area, attributed their devilish behaviour to the influence of hard drugs.

Young men suspected to be members of the Eiye and Aiye confraternities, relaunched their usual supremacy battle on Tuesday, shooting one another.

As at Saturday, three persons were said to have been shot dead in the ongoing fracas that has brought commercial activities to a halt in the local government.

Sources said several other persons sustained injuries in the attack, sending shivers down the spines of residents.

It was learnt that one of the victims, an attendant at Awabat filling station in Ijokun, was shot dead on Friday night.

A reliable source told our correspondent that the man, simply identified as Matey, was shot in the head by some yet-to-be identified persons.

“We don't know if he was a cultist, we don't know what happened. We just saw that he was shot dead by cultists. He's a petrol attendant at Awabat in Ijokun,” a mother of one, who pleaded anonymity, said.

The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, who confirmed that three persons were killed in the melee, disclosed that many of the cultists have been arrested by the police.

“Yes, three persons were killed in Sagamu by cultists. But we have arrested many of them.

“The Commissioner of Police has directed our tactical teams to be on standby. We have started trailing those involved and many are in custody. We are clamping in on them, more will still be arrested,” Oyeyemi said.

Governor Abiodun who identified cultism as one of the challenges of his administration had revealed how he personally visited a location where illicit drugs are feely sold.

"I personally visited the location where drugs are being freely sold in the evenings and I remarked that this should be brought to the attention of the Commandants of the NDLEA, Civil Defence, Commissioner of Police, State Director of the DSS and other Law enforcement architecture to go on a mission and raid that place.

"I want you to rid the entire Sagamu of drugs peddlers, sellers and drug abusers. This will go a long way to restoring peace and confidence to our citizens in Sagamu.

"Cultism is one of our challenges and we are ready to deal with those involved. As the industrial, education and religious capital of this nation, we will not allow hoodlums to threaten the peace of this state and so we are going to do everything possible to bring an end to this menace," he said.

Governor Abiodun was in Sagamu last Friday, alongside the newly posted Commissioner of Police, Yomi Olanrewaju, where he declared cultism as an act of terrorism at the scene of cult skirmishes at Sabo Quarters.