Security agencies, stakeholders vow to eradicate cult activities in Awka, environs

…‘We know perpetrators of bloody cult clashes in Awka’ – Community leader

By Cajetan Mmuta, Awka

Security agencies and stakeholders of the Ezinano Community made up of four quarters of Awka the Anambra State capital on Thursday resolved to work in synergy towards mitigating and preventing the scourge of secret cult activity and other violent crimes in Awka and its environs.

Ezinano Community is made up of 20 villages drawn from Amikwo, Ezi- Awka, Afulu and Umuokpu quarters out of the 33 villages in Awka the host state capital.

Recall that over 35 persons have so far been killed in Awka town and environs following bloody rival cult clashes this year in the state.

Speaking at a Symposium on combating, and preventing violent crimes and the menace of cultism in Awka metropolitan City held on Wednesday in Awka the Anambra State capital, the people admitted knowledge of perpetrators of the heinous crime but sought the help of security agencies to end the menace.

The stakeholders tasked families, community leaders, unions, traditional institutions, schools, churches, market leaders and others to join in the campaign to rid the state and entire society of bloody secret activity which has sent most youths on the run and brought under development to Awka communities and others.

This is as the state government promised to allocate 500 slots of its one youth, two skills empowerment scheme to Awka youths during the next empowerment program in order to get the youths off the streets.

Deputy Governor of the state, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim represented by Chief Obi Muodilim frowned at the spate of bloody rival cult killings of young men which he said does encourage growth, peace and development.

He urged all the warring factions to sheathe their swords and embrace peace for the progress and development of the state.

The people also harped on the imperatives of intensified sensitization, awareness creation, counseling, education and crusade against youths and others involved in secret cult activities and other violent vices.

The stakeholders also called for employment opportunities through positive empowerment programs to make the youths to be meaningfully engaged and responsible members of the society.

The Convener of the event, Ozo Jeff Nweke in his welcome address disclosed that the perpetrators of violent and bloody secret cult activities are known to Awka community and its people hence they are boys living within the capital town with known identities in different associations and organizations.

He noted that the menace of secret cults and other vices was a result of unemployment and poverty caused by years of infrastructural development by successive governments which denied the agrarian indigents of the Awka community of their traditional farmlands with which the youths and people are usually engaged in farm work.

Nweke also exonerated influential personalities from the community as sponsors of the violent and bloody cult war in the area.

“We know the boys (cultists), we can’t disassociate ourselves from them. We know them by whichever societies, families, groups and associations in Awka. Anybody who says he doesn’t know this is not telling the truth. It’s necessary we work in synergy with security agencies to bring lasting solutions to the problem.

“We are the people the crimes in Awka are affecting, the women and their children. Some of them didn’t go to school, so many times in Awka we see things that have not been happening before; it’s cultism and other violent crimes, they kill the people and decapitate their bodies.”

“It’s one thing that poses a serious challenge to the police. We need a solution; we are not consoling it but we reject it. We in Awka are industrious, we are not lazy. Our children are people who want to work but some of our children are indulging in cultism. We are calling on the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to come and help us, this is not how we were before.

We are aggrieved and we can’t solve the problem by ourselves,” he said.

While ending the police and other security agencies for their efforts at nipping the problem in the bud, he said he took the task of fighting the menace because he, “is from Awka and lives in Awka; my children and children’s children will live in Awka. Every man is the chief security officer of his house.

The state Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam represented by the ACP Aniete Eyo said that the greatest armed robber is the son of somebody and called for concerted to deal with the problem of cultism and other vices in the state.

While calling the people, families, churches, schools and other institutions to rise up against the menace, he lauded the Ezinano Community for taking the bull by the horns and for crying out loud to security agencies to help solve the problem.

The State Director of the DSS represented by Mr. Onyedika Nwachukwu called for community engagement, public awareness and sensitization of youths on the dangers of joking secret cults, stressing that there is a need for proper counselling, provision of gainful enjoyment and continuous engagement.

On his part, the Deputy Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) Mr. Francis Obinna called for all inclusiveness towards tackling the menace of secret cultism in Awka and its environs.

He urged members of various cult groups to embrace amnesty extended to them by the gathering so that peace and stability would take place in the state.

At the ceremony, Ozo Nweke pledged to empower all the women from each of the four villages of Ezinano Community with N100 million come next month September, set up a poultry farm for them and work towards reconciling and reintegrate all the known secret members into the community at an event to be held in December this year.