At least three people were reportedly killed when suspected rival cult groups opened fire during the annual masqueraders’ festival in Orile Iganmu, Lagos State.
The incident occurred last week as residents gathered to celebrate the traditional Igunnuko festival, which features the appearance of a tall masquerade that typically comes out on Tuesdays. Witnesses said the masquerade had just emerged when gunshots erupted behind it.
According to Punch, what began as customary ceremonial shooting quickly escalated after rival groups reportedly sighted one another. A suspected cult leader and his associates were said to have directed their gunfire at their rivals, abandoning the tradition of firing shots harmlessly into the air.
A resident identified as Toyosi told the newspaper on Sunday, Nov. 23, that three people were fatally hit, while several others sustained injuries. “They were supposed to be firing shots behind the masquerader as it moved, but everything changed when the boys saw their rivals. That was when one of the suspected cultists and his boys started aiming directly at them,” he said.
Another resident expressed shock over the violence, noting that the festival has historically promoted peace within the community. “This is very unusual because the festival has always been very peaceful,” he said.
The attack reportedly caused panic in the area as residents fled for safety.
An anti-cultism advocacy group, Naija Confra, stated in a post on X that two bodies were left at the scene while another was taken away. The group added that one of the alleged perpetrators, identified as a notorious cultist called “Babalawo,” had fled to Ilorin, Kwara State, following the shooting.