Calabar –Two persons have been confirmed dead following an accidental discharge that occurred during a wake-keep ceremony in Ekori community, Yakurr Local Government Area of Cross River state on Friday night NEGROIDHAVEN has garnered.
The incident, which reportedly happened during a traditional dance session held in honour of a deceased community elder, led to the instant death of a young man identified as Mr. Samuel Samson Udo (a student of Peace Institute of Management and Technology in Abak, Akwa Ibom state), while a yet-to-be identified lactating mother who sustained gunshot injuries later died from complications on Saturday morning.
According to eyewitnesses, the shooting was caused by a misfired weapon believed to have been in the possession of a local youth or vigilante member attending the ceremony. Sources said panic ensued as mourners fled the scene, leading to confusion and the premature end of the event.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of Yakurr Local Government Council, Hon. Yibala Inyang, described the occurrence as “an unfortunate accident,” dismissing social media reports suggesting cult violence.
“Preliminary information from community leaders and security operatives indicates that the incident was an accidental discharge that occurred during a traditional dance session at the vigil of a burial ceremony,” Inyang said in a statement.
He further appealed for calm, assuring residents that the area remains peaceful and that security agencies have commenced investigations into the incident.
However, shortly after news of the incident broke, some social media platforms, including Naija Confra, reported that the shooting was linked to a clash between rival cult groups — CCI (KK) and DNK (Vikings). The online report alleged that the deceased was a member of one of the confraternities and was targeted during the wake-keep. A community leader Chief Okoi Obono-Obla has linked the death to cultism.
This version of events has been strongly refuted by residents and eyewitnesses, who maintain that the tragedy resulted from negligence rather than cult rivalry. “It was an accident; I was there,” one local source counteracted NaijaConfra. “People are just spreading fear by calling it a cult fight.”
Nevertheless, the speed with which the story spread online has reignited public anxiety about cult-related violence in Yakurr, a local government area that has witnessed episodes of youth gang clashes in the past.
Community leaders have urged residents to refrain from spreading unverified reports and to support ongoing efforts by law enforcement to uncover the full circumstances surrounding the shooting.
As of press time, the atmosphere in Ekori was reported to be calm, though security presence has been increased to prevent any possible breakdown of order. The remains of the deceased have been deposited in a local mortuary, while investigations continue.
