Panic has gripped residents of Agbor Road in Benin City, Edo State, after three young girls went into hiding following the brutal killing of their parents by a suspected cult group.
The tragic incident occurred on September 21, 2024, at about 10 p.m., when 53-year-old Mr. Oladeji Jonas and his wife, 48-year-old Mrs. Oladeji Florence, were attacked in their home.
According to eyewitnesses, the couple was targeted by a rival cult group seeking revenge for an alleged assault involving their son, who belongs to another faction.
Armed attackers stormed the family’s residence and killed the parents, before vandalizing Mrs. Florence’s shop and carting away valuables.
The couple’s two daughters, Peculiar and Jennifer Oladeji, alongside their foster sister, Esther Uhunamure, were in the inner room and reportedly escaped the attack through a back door.
However, the cultists allegedly threatened to find and kill them, forcing the three girls into hiding.
Since the incident, residents say the community has been living in fear as the whereabouts of the children remain unknown. “They ran away for their lives that night, but nobody has seen them since then,” one neighbor lamented, adding that locals are worried for their safety.
As at the time of filing this report, no arrests have been made. Police authorities confirmed that investigations are ongoing, but residents are calling for urgent security intervention to prevent further bloodshed and to ensure the safe return of the missing children.
