Human rights activist, Zik Gbemre has decried the rising waves of youth cultism in Iwhrekan, Edjophe and Otu-Jeremi communities in Ughelli South council area of Delta.
He said with the new trend of cultism activities ravaging and causing serious crises and apprehension in these communities, it was imperative for stakeholders to do all they could to nip the trend in the bud.
Gbemre, in a statement made available to the Nation said the recent killings in the stated communities, were as a result of clashes between two rival cult groups.
“In other words, the reported killings were within and amongst the two groups of suspected cultists. Even the swearing in ceremony of the New Executive in Iwhrekan Community on June 6th, 2019, went on smoothly and peacefully between the hours of 8am-9am under the presence of the Nigerian Police Officers from Otu-Jeremi Police Station and Area Commander’s Office Ughelli.
“It was after the said swearing in, and after the Police had left and the locals retired to their homes, that these suspected cultists started their trouble, which led to the death of one suspected cultists leader, and about two other suspected cultists,” Gbemre stated.
The human rights activist absolved the Nigerian Police of any blame, stressing that the only thing the Police did was to try to stop and prevent further bloodshed in these areas, adding that the police did not kill anyone as been alleged by some unscrupulous people.
“The killings were done, and amongst the suspected cultists on themselves. In other words, the accusations on the Police is very unnecessary. The Police obviously prevented these suspected cultists/hoodlums from carrying out their evil acts to a large extent, hence right now, the news going round is that they are planning to attack the Otu-Jeremi Police Stations.
It was the clash of these two suspected cultists groups that led to them killing themselves around Iwhrekan, Edjophe and Jeremi/Udu junction. And on June 7th,2019 night, another person was reportedly shot but the person is said to have survived the attack in Otu-Jeremi Community.
“Just on Sunday June 9th, 2019, the Otu-Jeremi Police Station Officers also averted the burning-down of a filling station owned by Samson Onojechere, by suspected cultists from neighbouring Communities of Iwhrekan, Edjophe and Otu-Jeremi,” Gbemre stated further.
He alleged that influential politicians and big-wigs in the three communities may have allegedly been supporting the suspected cultists and hoodlums, hence they were operating with such boldness and reckless abandon and impunity.
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“As political leaders, the best way to empower the locals is to set up factories, industries, and business outfits that would employ the jobless youths who are now joining cults. It is not the demonstration of political power or influence when politicians and society big-wigs are seen to be sponsoring/backing these cultism activities in Iwhrekan, Edjophe and Otu-Jeremi Communities.
“Something urgent needs to be done fast to address this problem before they will start killing innocent people indiscriminately,” Gbemre said.
Also expressing concerns over the rising rate of cult activities in the Ughelli South communities, an aggrieved media personality from the area, who did not want his name mentioned, lamented the situation of communities that had produced prominent Delta state politicians.
“It is appalling that Jeremi, Iwhrekan and Edjophe, key oil communities and home to prominent political officeholders should now be prominent as den of cultists and criminals.
“Jeremi and Edjophe are respectively paternal and maternal hometowns of former Deputy Governor, Prof Amos Utuama, who before holding that office was Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.
“Utuama’s cousin, immediate past Attorney Gen, Mrakpo, who is likely to retain the office, is from Edjophe. Neighboring Iwhrekan has Justice Gbemre who just retired from the Delta State High Court.”
“How come when it comes to inducing pro-PDP votes in the locality, these officeholders are able to flood the place with security operatives and, keep the peace, and the minute they have gotten the undeserved elections victories in the place, insecurity becomes the order of the day”, he wondered.
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