This weekly update spotlights organized criminal violence in the Niger Delta with a focus on cult gang related violence and killings in Bayelsa State. Gang violence is a major security issue in the State, mainly driven by struggle for supremacy and territorial control among rival cult gangs as well as general criminality. According to data (see map above), gang violence caused over 50 fatalities in the State between January 2021 and June 2024, particularly in Yenagoa, the state capital. Recent incidents indicate the prevalence of violence associated with cult gangs in the State. In March 2024, for instance, some officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) were reportedly attacked by members of a cult gang in Yenizue-Epie community, Yenagoa LGA. The law enforcement officers were allegedly attacked during a drug raid in the area. In April, a 28-year-old man was reportedly killed during a clash between Greenlanders and Bobos cult gangs in Amarata community, Yenagoa LGA. More recently, on August 07, 2024, a young man was reportedly killed by members of a cult gang at Swali Market in Yenagoa, the State capital.

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