From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi
A group known as Ede-ma has lamented over the incessant activities of cultists allegedly resulting to lost of lives in Edumoga, Okpokwu local government area in Benue State.
The group, in a press statement signed by its National President Michael Agbam regretted that in the unwholesome cult rivalry, at least 10 youths were reportedly brutally murdered while commercial activities in the axis were brought to a halt especially in Ugbokolo, Effoyo and Ichakwu, which remains the major economic hubs in Edumoga District.
Ede-ma has therefore, called on the Benue State Government under Governor Hyacinth Alia to set up a probe panel to investigate and proffer solutions to the increasing cases of cultism, which is very much alive in virtually all communities across the state
“Our calm resolve not to immediately speak out was informed by the logic that doing so might be too pre-emptive without proper understanding of the underlying issues surrounding the violence, and of course, it could also be mistaken for outright bias.
“Secondly, we had also expected that the security agencies, especially the Nigerian Police Force, are fully on ground and therefore ought to have quickly responded to such open criminality to restore public order and confidence. This was however not the case in view of the litany of violence in which cult groups openly chase and hack perceived rivals to death in broad day light.
“We believe that the vacuum created by police inaction may have inspired protests that ultimately degenerated to mob actions by angry residents following the cult killings, which the Edumoga Youth Association (EYA) and Edumoga Youth Movement (EYM) eventually had to intercede and moderate to restore order.
“We wish to use this opportunity to commend the resolve of both EYA and EYM for their intervention that ended the daily cult killings. We equally commend them for the strategic initiative to end the malaise of cultism in Edumoga land by enjoining the youth, community and traditional leaders in Amejo, Okonobo and Ugbokolo wards to take oath not to belong to any cult group.”
It continues: “While the initiative or strategy of oath-taking to renounce cultism may not be fool proof, it is however a traditional method with proven capacity to eliminate or appreciably reduce the menace of cultism and other forms of criminality from Edumoga. In this regard, we enjoin especially the traditional rulers in Edumoga District to give their support and ensure that the exercise is conducted with utmost decorum and civility in line with our culture and tradition.
“As a law-abiding and development-conscious organisation, Ede-ma Development Association (EDA) is worried that the police who are on ground in Ugbokolo and Okpokwu LGA, and who were helpless in the face of the rampant cult killings in Ugbokolo for over two weeks without making a single arrest suddenly leapt to action on the basis of a mere petition by no other person but an alleged cult leader, John Okwori, against Agboji John Audu and some EYA and EYM leaders.
“While, we do not, and will never, support a resort to self-help, jungle justice or any form of criminality, we are surprised that the police responded to Mr Okwori’s petition in the manner they did when they failed to, on their own, undertake any preliminary investigation of the matter, including background checks on the character of the petitioner, the killing of about 10 youths within a space of two or three weeks and the series of protests in Ugbokolo township following the bloodbath.
“We therefore, hereby call on the Benue State Police Command to immediately release Agboji John Audu whose arrest and remand, from information available to us, and as contained in the Police First Information Report (FIR), are on the basis of frivolous and unsubstantiated allegations of “criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, acts of terrorism, mischief by fire and attempt to commit culpable homicide”.
Meanwhile, when contacted for reaction, Benue State Police Public Relations’ Officer SP Catherine Anene said, “I do not have this information”.
