Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
The people of Ihiala community in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra state, on Sunday, resolved to put an end to activities of cultists in the area.
As part of measures to actualise this dream, a stakeholders’ meeting was held in the town to discuss measures to put an end to this menace. Some suspected cultists had allegedly killed five people in the area recently.
In his address, President General of Ihiala Progress Union, Chief Jude Ngobili, the peace and stability of the town has been truncated by the violent juvenile cultists who are killing and kidnapping innocent people in the town.
He noted that it was assumed that the rampaging cultists were merely killing and maiming their own, but added that it was only a failed society that would allow such criminality to continue unabated. He maintained that no reasonable society would accommodate such menace.
Chief Ngobili pointed out that apart from the immediate danger cultism pose to the community, he said Ihiala people cannot allow their children to grow up in an environment where people’s neck are criminally broken and people brutally killed to avoid such innocent children growing up to become barbarians.
He saidaid cultism has grown to an alarming rate in the hitherto sleepy community as primary school pupils and secondary school students are now being initiated into the dangerous cult groups which according to him are an evil wind that would not blow any good to anyone.
He said that the cultists by nature are so brutal that it is practically impossible to appeal to their conscience and that the security agencies are brought in to demonstrate the resolve of the town to meet the cultists fire for fire.
Chief Ngobili said further that his people will not allow their town to be reduced to a theater of war where cultists would be having a field day like some other communities in the country.
The Area Commander in charge of Ihiala Area Command of Nigeria Police Force, Mr. Michael Falade, commended the community for resolving to partner with security agencies to battle cultism.
He pointed out that security is an intricate issue that calls for collaboration from every law abiding individuals in the society noting that the members of the public would be doing well if they make useful information available to security agencies.
Falade said the cultists were not spirits but youths known by members of the society who are carried on as overlords because the society has not decided to inform the law enforcement agencies about their criminal tendencies and activities.