34 Years Old Man Murdered And Beheaded In Cross River

A 34 year old man was on Monday morning shot dead at Iboku Street in Calabar South local government area of Cross River State.

The victim was also alleged to have been butchered and beheaded by his assailants

The incident occurred at about 8.30 am near a barber’s shop where the victim who was simply identified as Samuel by neighbours and eyewitnesses had gone to have his hair cut.

The victim is suspected to have belonged to the Axe cult group who are allegedly at loggerhead with another rival cult group known as the Klans.

An eyewitness, 60 years old mobile food vendor, who was present at the scene of the incident, said: “I saw two men jumped out from a commercial tricycle and refused to pay the driver, but rather brought out machetes and handguns.

“They pounced on one of the two men I wanted to sell food to. I abandoned my wares and took to my heels when they used the machetes to smash one of the men’s heads. His companion also ran away.”

Another eyewitness, a mechanic who gave his name as Francis Akpan said, “There was a stampede when the two men, dressed in black trousers and tee-shirts, brandished their machetes and guns.

“They severed Samuel’s head after they had shot and machetes him. They were about to completely sever the victim’s head when they were dissuaded as a result of shouting by people from their hideouts and police siren”.

Francis said the victim, Samuel who lived on Idang Street by Atim Edem Rise Street, is a trader at the popular Watt Market in Calabar while his mother is a petty trader in the neighbourhood.

He said police from the Mbukpa Division who arrived at the scene after the suspected rival cultists had fled, evacuated the body.

When DAILY POST called on the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) DSP Irene Igbo, she said she was not aware of the incident.