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A suspected cultist has reportedly lost his life after he was set ablaze by members of a rival cult group in Swali community in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

The incident reportedly happened around the popular Swali ultra-modern market on Saturday morning, in what seems to be a reprisal attack.

THE WHISTLER learnt the victim, identified as Christopher Samuel, was the leader of a robbery gang that has been terrorising the area.

The deceased, who engaged in a gun duel with a rival gang, tried to escape but ran into an angry mob which lynched and set him ablaze before the police arrived at the scene.

Confirming the incident, the state’s Police spokesperson, SP Asinim Butswat, in a statement said the victim was a suspected cultist.

According to him, the command had responded to a cult related distress call at Sand Road Swali, Yenagoa, and on arrival, the patrol team discovered a charred body of a suspected cultist.

He said,
“Preliminary investigation reveals that the charred body was one Christopher Samuel ‘m’ 21 years, a notorious member of Bobos cult group, who was macheted and set ablaze by a rival cult group.

“The corpse was evacuated and deposited at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri for autopsy.”

Butswat said investigation had commenced to identify and arrest those involved in the act.