- Residents on edge as vicious cult gangs seize state
It was a danger waiting to happen. Those who expected the violence that characterised the 2015 general elections in Rivers State to abate were proved wrong soon after the election, with the violence exacerbating every day, as different cult groups remained locked in supremacy battles.
Last Saturday, yet-to-be identified gunmen murdered Franklin Obi, an APC chieftain, his wife, and 18-year-old son in their residence in Omoku, Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The gunmen invaded the house at about 9pm, beheaded the lawmaker, who was the chairman of ward 4 in Omoku.
While the state was still mourning the killing, another member of the APC, Ofinijite Amachree, was burnt alive in Buguma, Asari-Toru Local Government of the state midweek.
Amachree was beaten up and burnt. Five persons were clubbed to death between last Saturday and Sunday.
Before the latest killings, vicious cult gangs in the state had consistently attacked communities in Ogba/Egbema Ndoni, Abua/Odoni and Ahoada East, Ahoada West and several other local government areas of the state.
During a recent attack in Ogba/Egbema Ndoni, Abua/Odoni and Ahoada East, Ahoada West local government areas, about 25 people were allegedly killed during the violence, with some of the victims beheaded. The governor of the state, Nyesom Wike, acted swiftly by suspending the three council caretaker committee chairmen whose local government areas were affected by the violence. Their suspension was lifted after one week.
Despite the suspension order, many residents of the state have described it as a little drop of water in the ocean. According to them, suspending the council leaders without a corresponding strong security policy to checkmate the activities of cult members and their sponsors in the state would be meaningless.
The upsurge in the activities of cult members in the state started shortly after the take-off of civil rule in 1999. Back then, residents of the state lived in fear. For them, the fear of a cult member was the beginning of wisdom.
Business activities ended in most parts of the state by 5:30pm, as the people struggled to get to their various homes before darkness falls. By 6pm, the streets are deserted, and whoever dared the cult groups did so at the expense of his or her life.
During the period, cult members assumed more powers, with greater authorities than even the monarchs, who themselves were left at their mercy. And for most residents, it was no longer strange to wake up in the morning and see headless bodies on the street. And sometimes, the cult members go from house to house in broad daylight to dispossess the people of their belongings, and those who resisted them were killed or maimed.
But the tide changed with the entrance of Governor Chibuike Amaechi in 2003. He went to work by putting a task force that not only curtailed the activities of the cult groups but also made their activities unattractive to young men.
Part of the brief of the task force was to arrest and hand over any suspected cult member to the police for prosecution. And within a short period, normalcy returned to the capital city, as the members of the cult groups fled to seek refuge in the neighouring communities.
Soon after, some of self-confessed cult members came out and denounced their membership of the various groups. One of them, Kennedy Johnson, better known as Coffin, said: “When Governor Amaechi came on board, he did not only declare war against the cult groups, he also ensured that their activities discontinued,” noting that so many cultists at that period were killed, while some repented and others ran away from town to their various communities.
He continued: “I thank God that today, I’m no longer in the system, though I had a close shave with death before I surrendered. Before Amaechi became the governor of Rivers State, cultists were being pampered, we had a lot of prominent individuals with interest in our activities. Then, only two groups, Degban and Dewell, were operating. We didn’t kill innocent people and we punished our members who go against the law or who work against us. But at a point, our activities and the fact that the people were afraid of us, made us attractive to some of the politicians in the state. That was how cult groups became involved in politics and we were provided all the necessary instruments to deliver clean deal. And when the job is done, the man won’t be able to retrieve all the arms he had supplied us.”
He disclosed that cult activities became lucrative as a result of the sophisticated weapons at their disposal. “It is simple logic, you don’t give a man the kind of weapon in the hands of cultists today and expect that he will not go mad when he knows that some of the security men don’t have such weapons. It was from here that they became interested in kidnapping, armed robbery, attacks on oil pipelines and other illicit activities.
“And, no amount of war against the cultists can stop them, because they have tasted money. Do you know how much they make during election periods? Do you know how much they make from kidnapping? Some are working as private security officers to some of the top business men and politicians in the state. Some of the mansions you are seeing in Port Harcourt today are owned by kidnappers who are also members of cult groups.”
Investigations by The Nation also revealed that when Port Harcourt city became too hot for cult activities during Amaechi’s administration. So, many of the cult members moved down to the villages where they became lord of the local politics and decided who became the monarchs and chiefs in the communities. A study of the activities of the cult groups in few local government areas showed how cult groups have terrorized and destroyed many communities in the state.
Ikwerre LGA
Ikwerre Local Government Area, which has the ancient city of Isiokpo as its headquarter, is made up of 14 communities. Among these communities, about nine have been colonized by cult groups. Many young men have been killed, while others remain missing as a result of a supremacy battle among them. The cult groups that terrorise Ikwerre are Degban and Islander.
Amadi Gift, one of the youth leaders in the area, told The Nation that Ubima community was turned to a ghost town on October 28, 2005, when cult groups turned the community into a battle ground. “Ubima people will never forget in a hurry how cult activities started in the area. On October 28, 2005, our people relocated to the neigbouring community over a cult clash. The supremacy battle started with serious shooting in the morning, and they came back in the night when some members of the rival groups were still sleeping with their families. They descended on them and set their houses on fire.
“The next night, the other group whose houses were set on fire, retaliated and demolished over 30 houses belonging to their rivals. Many members of the community were rendered homeless because some of the houses destroyed were family houses. Till today, some families have not been able to rebuild their houses. That was how the crisis started. And, till today, the community has recorded more killings due to cult clashes.”
An Ikwerre man, who pleaded anonymity for security reasons, said after the killing that took place in 2005 and 2007 in Ubima community, the cultists were able to maintain peace in the various communities of the local government. He said the cultists resurfaced again four years ago with sophisticated weapons when politicians in the area began to see them as a means to achieve their political goal.
“For the past four years, when the cultists resumed their activities in our various communities, more than 100 residents of Ikwerre have been murdered, while more than 50 are missing. Take a look at cult activities in Ubima community alone, it was reported that over 15 persons have been killed and seven missing. As I‘m talking to you now, the residents of the community are living in anxiety over incessant killings. The recent killing of one of the leaders of Degbam, popularly known as Juju, has become another problem to the people of the community. This was because the rival cult group in the area has vowed to avenge the death of Juju with 50 heads.
“The two dreaded cult groups in this area are being protected by political parties. That is why the police find it difficult to arrest some of them. It was because of their alliance with the political parties and community leaders that made them to have access to sophisticated weapons. And with these weapons, they were able to diversify into kidnapping, robbery and other forms of crime. Of course, cultists are becoming stronger and fearless in the state today because some of their leaders are today public office holders.”
Emohua LGA
Emohua is a sister local government to Ikwerre, and the two have many things in common. They have almost the same tradition, with similar language and have one supreme council, called Ogbakor Ikwerre, the highest decision-making body in Ikwerre ethnic nationality. Some of the residents of the area, who spoke to The Nation, said Ikwerre Local Government is suffering from the activities of the cult groups. It will be recalled that the people of Ogbakiri were sacked from their community seven years ago by cult groups in the area. Properties were destroyed and human beings were slaughtered. The crisis kept them out of their communities for more than five years before returning home recently to rebuild their damaged homes.
On January 18, 2016, Elibrada community in Emohua Clan woke up to discover that their community was on fire, following a clash between two rival cult groups in the area. The following day, members of the community went after the cult members, killing two of them.
A community member, who pleaded anonymity, said: “It was a relief that the cultis were killed. The people of the area openly rolled out their drums, singing and dancing when the news broke that the terror cultist, popularly called, DD the White Lion, has been beheaded. In the third week of December 2015, a close friend of DD the White Lion, who was also an alleged cultist, was killed and beheaded. DD the White Lion was the leader of one of the cult groups that have been terrorizing Emohua people.”
Elder Ohiakwe Amaechi, a community leader in Emohua, said cult activities in the area have inflicted pains and agony on the residents. “What happened in Rumuekpe, Ibaa and Ogbakiri should discourage people from patronising cultists. These three communities have more dreaded cultists than you can find in other parts of the state. The insecurity in Ibaa, Ogbakiri and Rumuekpe communities, which started seven years ago, degenerated to such a level that community members abandoned their homes and became refugees in another man’s land for years. Ogbakiri, for instance, experienced a total breakdown of law and order that resulted in massacre and deadly chieftaincy tussle in the area.”
It will be recalled that on the 3rd of February, 2014, some cultists suspected to be members of Islanders and Degbam fraternity, clashed at Ibaa community, killing nine persons, while properties worth several millions of naira were destroyed over territorial control. The fight led to the Joint Military task force taking over the community for more than one month, during which the residents were forced to relocate to neighbouring communities for safety.
A brother of one of the killed victims in Ibaa, Anthony Davies, told The Nation that the situation in the community during the clash was akin to a war front.
“My brother was among the nine people killed, though he was not a member of any cult group. When we heard gunshots that early morning, he was frightened, and he stepped out to find out who were shooting. That was how one of them called him by name and shot him point blank. He bled for about 30 minutes before he gave up the ghost.”
Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA
The incident of February 12, 2016 will linger for a long time in the memory of residents of Omuku, Ogba/Egbema/ Ndoni Local Government of Rivers State. On that day, cult members went on the rampage. And by the time the smoke from their guns cleared, several young men lay dead, with many of their heads cut off and taken away by the cult members.
According to sources in the area, kidnappings and secret killings are the major business of young men. Abductors are said to collect between N40,000 and N200,000 as ransom from indigent parents whose kids are kidnapped.
About 12 persons, including Chief Christopher Adube, the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, and his family, were murdered in one day in the area.
However, when our correspondent visited Onelga, it was observed that there are many companies operating in the area, putting a lie to the excuse by many that joblessness and idleness are responsible for the high rate of crime in the area. And recently, 25 people were reportedly killed in the area, with 10 of the victims’ heads cut off and taken away.
Elder Benedict Ajie, who lost two sons, said, “The gunmen entered our compound by 9: 30 pm on that day and started shooting their guns. It was after we stopped hearing the sound of gunshots that we decided to come outside to check what happened. It was at that point that we discovered that two of my sons were dead. In our street alone, more than eight young men were killed.’’
A community leader, Mr. John Awe, said: “They killed about 25 people. It was a battle between the two strongest cult groups in the area. Despite the presence of security agents and several check points mounted on major junctions in the area, the killers operated freely without any fear.
“For the past two years, cultists have taken over some villages in the area. You can see me sitting here, four of my cousins were among the victims and two were beheaded by the gunmen who took away their heads. In Omoku, we are living at the mercy of cult groups. You need to be here during the election period to see how these bad boys dined on the same table with politicians.”
Etche LGA
Etche Local Government Area has been reeling under the pains of cult activities. The area is said to be under the control of the dreaded cult group, Umuoma boys, which allegedly originated from Obibi near Ozuzu Etche. Ironically, Umuoma, when interpreted, means ‘good children’. But their activities are everything but good.
On the 5th of January 2014, Obite community was attacked by gunmen, during which scores of the residents were left injured. The attack also left one Miss Chikodi Nwankwoala dead. Her remains were found under a tree in front of her house.
According to Chief Linus Nwankwoala, one of the elders who consulted the oracle to find out what killed her, “My sister was not sick when she retired to bed, only for us to wake up in the morning and find out that the door to her room was forced open. This is not the first time they are killing people silently in this community. The insecurity in this area is unbearable.’’
Soon after the attack on Obite, another community in the area, Akpokwu, suffered a similar fate, during which four people were killed and 20 houses burnt down.
Speaking on the rate of insecurity in the area, a youth leader, who pleaded anonymity, said the activities of the Umuoma Boys and other killer groups in the area started as mere support groups for politicians in the area.
According to him, “In every election year, the young men receive visitors from other local government areas whom they work for as hired assassins, election thugs and other illicit activities. The Umuoma Boys are very powerful and deadly. Etche has become a place where residents of Rivers State find it difficult to travel to due to insecurity. Though everybody knows Umuoma Boys are responsible for most of the kidnappings and robberies in this area, nobody has been able to do anything about it. The system of using hoodlums as thugs for political gains has made Etche unsafe, especially during election period.”
Ahoada East/Ahoada West
The situation in Ahoada, whether East or West, is almost out of hand. Armed youths have for long turned the area to a no-go for most residents. The Nation gathered that residents of the area now contribute money every month to pay the cult groups in order to stave off attacks and harassments.
Investigation revealed that on Wednesday 20th, 2016, the entire Ubeta community in Ahoada West was thrown into chaos after cultists murdered two persons, one Prince Udoma and another man, said to be from Imo State. Properties were also destroyed during the attack.
A community leader, who did not want his name in print, said: “Here, we are living at the mercy of cultists. Two weeks ago, the cultists struck again, abducting two indigenes in the process. The two people, Elder Augustine Esukpa Achakpo and Mrs. Fyne Henshaw Eligwe, were beaten severely and taken away by the cult members. The group abducted a third victim, one Elder Emmanuel Eketu, as they fled the scene. The three were later released after days of captivity, with ransom paid by their relatives..
“Our women no longer go to farms for fear of being raped, molested or kidnapped. Our people are now dejected and hopeless. Some of the cultists are kidnappers and some are ready to kill at the slightest provocation. They are now initiating more youths into cultism on daily basis. They have also resorted to burning people’s homes. As I’m talking to you, the community is contributing the sum of N500,000 to give to cultists in the area, as directed by their leader. We are calling the state government to urgently draft security men to protect our lives and properties. We have held a security meeting with the Police authorities in Rivers State, during which the police demanded logistics support. So far, over 100 persons have been kidnapped and 65 houses burnt.”
Mr. Samuel Ewo, a youth in the area, revealed that the cultists now operate in camps, from where they attack the members of the community. He said the cultists are now used as fighters in land disputes, chieftaincy tussles and hired assassins.
Ewo said: “Recently, unknown gunmen invaded a secondary school in the area and abducted school children for ransom. What we are asking to know is who is giving these people those sophisticated weapons that even the police do not have? When some of them are arrested, some privileged individuals would secretly negotiate for their bail. You can imagine that a monarch’s house was demolished by cultists. What do you expect to happen to ordinary innocent citizens in this situation? Something must be done to make lives safe again in our various communities.”
Speaking on the allegation that the police are afraid of the cult groups, the Rivers State Police Public Relations officer, A deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Muhammad Ahmad, said there is no way a trained police officer would be afraid of cultists.
Ahmad said: “I believe it is not true for anybody to say the police are afraid of criminals in whatever name, be them cultists or armed robbers or kidnappers. I can’t imagine the same police that over the last one year have recovered high caliber firearms, such as AK 47 rifles, to the tune of 112 and 12,472 assorted ammunition from criminals, arrested and charged to court 391 suspected cultists and fatally wounded many of them in shootouts, can be mischievously and unpatriotically termed as a being afraid of criminals. I can’t also imagine the same police that in some instances lost their precious lives during gun duels with criminals cannot be supported and commended. Instead, they are said to be afraid of criminals.
“My advice is, let it be known that the security of every community starts with the members of the community. There is need for mutual synergy between security agencies and the community to overcome any security challenge. Parents should counsel their children to shun crimes, and should they not listen to them, nothing stops such parents from reporting them to the police. It’s only when they have this at the back of their mind that security matters are a collective responsibility and work in concert with security agencies that we can have a situation of less crime in our communities.”
