The news of cultists in Bodo city, situated in the Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State, creating a hit list of traditional rulers for execution has heightened tension in the region.

As a result of this development, traditional leaders in the area are urgently seeking refuge and safety.

According to a report by Vanguard, there have been three fatalities and numerous households displaced due to attacks by gunmen in the past week, starting from last Monday up to yesterday.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Nwonyi Emeka, had visited Bodo over the weekend to appeal for calm. However, just three days later, the cultists struck again, claiming another life.

Justice Koozor, a youth leader in the community, revealed that the cultists launched an invasion on Tuesday, employing heavy gunfire and causing the death of a youth. Additionally, they have seized control of the community's farmland, making it impossible for people to access their farms.

Koozor lamented, "This morning (yesterday), we were informed that a cult group led by individuals known as Donkey and Sticky-John was approaching. They arrived this morning armed with guns, openly parading and firing shots. They killed an individual, preventing anyone from going to the farm this morning. Due to the prevailing insecurity, many residents are contemplating leaving the community."

Meanwhile, the Vice-Chairman of the Bodo Council of Traditional Rulers, Mene Joseph Poiba, who leads the Bangha Dynasty in Bodo, expressed concerns that the cultists may have backers intent on destabilizing the community.

Poiba disclosed that the cultists possess a list of chiefs marked for execution, including himself, and that these chiefs are currently in hiding.

He urgently called upon the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, to intervene in the situation, emphasizing that the cultists have taken control of their farmlands.

Poiba stated, "This morning, we encountered cultists; they came and took a life. I strongly recommend that the governor intervenes. Both men and women are gripped by fear, and we are forced into hiding. They are actively orchestrating the destruction of our community."

He continued, "We implore the governor to establish a committee to investigate the events unfolding in Bodo. Some individuals from our community, residing elsewhere, are suspected of sponsoring these cultists to perpetrate violence. As I speak, my name is on their list of targets. All the names of the traditional rulers are known to them as intended victims. I beseech the governor to come to our aid."