Allegedly, a cleric in Okeagbe community, Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, has slain a sacred boa. The cleric, affiliated with God’s Grace Ministry based in Warri, swiftly eluded capture by fleeing the community.
The motive behind the cleric’s action of killing the boa remains unclear at the moment.
This event prompted strong protests by the natives of Okeagbe community in reaction to the cleric’s deed.
The locals gathered in solidarity, singing chants as they paraded around the community.
They proceeded to both the police station and an army base within the community to express their discontent over what they perceived as a “sacrilegious” act.
The enraged demonstrators halted the church from conducting its services on Monday, demanding that the church and the cleric conduct the necessary rituals to purify the town and accord the snake a burial akin to that of a human.
Hailing from Orogun community in Ughelli North Local Government Area, the cleric managed to escape by scaling a fence before the protesters reached the scene.
According to reports, it is deemed taboo to kill a boa in Okeagbe community, as the snake is revered by the locals as a deity they worship.
The boa typically appears in the town during and after the Okeagbe community festival and is known to pose no harm to humans or domestic animals like goats, dogs, and cats.
The indigenous inhabitants of Okeagbe community offer prayers to the boa, believing that the snake is their source of sustenance.