The Bayelsa State Police Command on Monday said four members of rival cult groups died in a shootout at a wake in the early hours of Monday.
Asinim Butswat, a Superintendent of Police and spokesman of the Command, confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria in Yenagoa.
Butswat, however, added that normalcy had since been restored following the swift intervention from the nearby Oporoma Police Division.
He said: “Two rival cult gangs clashed at Lobia Community, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area on December 28 at about 2:30am.
“The unfortunate incident led to the death of four cultists.
“Their identities are yet to be ascertained at the moment.
“The corpses have been deposited at the morgue.
“Investigations have commenced.”
But a NAN source from the community who witnessed the incident said a little boy hit by a stray bullet was also one of the victims of the gun battle.
The source, who wished not to be named for fear of being victimised, said the gangs attended an event from Ukubie and Azuzuama communities, losing three and one members respectively, while the little boy hailed from Lobia 1, all neighbouring coastline settlements.
NAN.