Policemen flee as cultists attack, rob residents

<p><strong>Policemen were no where to be found after daredevil cultists invaded some streets in Port Harcourt&comma; <a href&equals;"http&colon;&sol;&sol;OpenLife&period;ng">Rivers State<&sol;a>&period;<&sol;strong><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The cultists who numbered about 50 brandished matchets attacked residents&comma; robbed passerbys and shop owners at Eagle Island&comma; Timber Street and Echue stretch of Illabouchi&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The hoodlums were members of a suspected cult whose member was reportedly hacked to death last weekend by a faction of the group in the Mile 2 axis of Diobu&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>An eyewitness&comma; Peter Rowland&comma; said residents ran into their homes and remained indoors for hours&comma; as the cult members brandished machetes and other weapons while searching for their rivals&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Rowland said&comma; &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;I was on the road when I saw over 50 guys with machetes&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;They used the cutlasses on people&comma; collecting their belongings&semi; some vehicle owners came out of their vehicles and ran for cover&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Some traffic policemen at Illabuchi by Eagle Island Junction and members of the Diobu vigilance group in the area all ran away&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;When I saw what was happening&comma; I had to call the Rivers State Government control room to lodge a complaint&period; Later&comma; I saw that calm had returned to the area&period;”<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The spokesperson for the state police command&comma; Grace Iringe-Koko&comma; confirmed the incident&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;