Delta State government has said it is working acidously on the anti-kidnapping and cultism law as a proactive measure to curb the menace of cultism in the state even as it’s prepared to go after cultists following the spate and alarming rate of their activities across the state.
Accordingly, no effort will be spared in bringing those involved and their sponsors to face the full wrath of the law.
Making the disclosure, Thursday in government house Asaba, during a meeting with the state commissioner of police, Mr. Zanna Ibrahim, Divisional Police Officers, DPOs and Chief Inspectors of Educations, C.I.Es from across the 25 local government areas of the state and some members of the State Executive Council, the state Deputy Governor, Mr. Kingsley Otuaro disclose that the meeting was to brainstorm and seek ways of addressing the cult activities happening in all parts of the state.
Otuaro, opined that the spate and menace of cultism across the state is becoming alarming and worrisome as according to him, “Government is working on the anti-kidnapping and cultism law as a proactive measure to curb the menace of cultism in the state.”
The deputy governor while calling on all relevant stakeholders to faction and phantom out ways to address this ugly incident, disclosed that government is prepared to bring those involved and those sponsoring this form of anti-social vise bedevilling the society to book.
Delivering a speech, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Zanna Ibrahim, represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Samuel Ojo, defined cultism as an enclosed organized association devoted to same cause whose activities are exclusively kept away from the public.
Mr. Ibrahim noted that secret cult is rampant in schools all over the world adding that it was known to be at its peak in tertiary institutions but it is no more news that it has expanded its territories to secondary and primary schools.
According to the state police boss, parental and home background, the society, emotional sickness, peer group influence, the quest for power and revenge as well as popularity and wealth among others are factors that may influence peers participation in cultism, saying that the State Anti-Cultism Unit established in 2016 with the mandate to eradicate cultism and cult related offences in Delta State has thus far arrested 369 cult suspects and has succeeded in arraigning 289 of them who have been remanded in various prisons across the state.
The CP however advised parents to enforce discipline on their children and have time for them to teach them good parental styles.
On his part, the Commissioner for Higher Education, Mr. Jude Sinebe and his counterpart in Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Chinedu Ebie, blamed the menace on poor upbringing and pledged government readiness to embark on routine orientation and advocacy against cultism.
Some police officers who spoke at the meeting promised to do their best but advised politicians, Godfathers and others using cultists to ferment trouble to desist or ready to face the wrath of the law.
Joining their voices, chief inspectors of education appealed to the state government and other relevant agencies to intensify effort in stemming the ugly trend before it cripples not only the education sector but the society at large.
