Teenage cult members raise security concerns in Bayelsa
The rate at which school children in Bayelsa State engage in cult-related activities recently, according to concerned individuals, is worrisome, to both government and the residents of the state. In this case, many of the culprits are primary and secondary school children, with the oldest among them being teenagers.
Recently, a 15-year-old secondary school student was arrested in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, by the police. He was armed with a gun. This follows numerous cases of cultists intimidating residents.
Last week, a group of suspected cultists believed to members of the Klans confraternity mobilized themselves and burnt down a police station at Okoroma, Southern Ijaw Local Government, just because their leader was arrested and detained by the police in the division.
“It’s alarming,” said a resident who spoke to Daily Trust, who added that some suspected cultists sent a letter to Bio-Ogpolo community in Yenagoa, announcing their impending attack on the community.
Cults became popular in Nigerian higher institutions in the early 50s, with the worrisome phenomenon now spreading to lower levels of educational institutions, like secondary and primary schools, as in Bayelsa’s case.
Mostly armed with dangerous weapons, the cultists also carry out robberies, as well as snatching money and valuables from people using tricycles, a popular means of transportation in the state.
Worried by the trend, the Bayelsa State House of Assembly last week passed the amended Secret Cult Bill into law, which stipulates a 20-year jail term for persons arrested and sentenced for cult-related violence and activities in the state. The leader of the House, Peter Akpe ( PDP, Sagbama 2), who moved the motion for amendment in the floor of the house, also seek a legal backing for the Nigeria Police to search any vehicle suspected to be carrying arms and ammunition.
The motion also empowered the police to arrest and a magistrate to remand any suspect arrested for cult-related activities for 30 days. The amendment also empowered the state Governor to revoke the Certificate of Occupancy of any property or premises used to hold meetings of cult groups in the state.
While deliberating on the amendment, Assembly members agreed that with the rise in cult activities and killings in the state, the amendment would provide the needed support for security personnel.
Another lawmaker, Ben Ololo (PDP, Nembe 2), urged the state Assembly to make provision for the prosecution and arrest of those involved in the sponsorship and hiring of the services of suspected cult members in the state.
However, Governor, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson swung into action and signed
Mostly armed with dangerous weapons, the cultists also carry out robberies, as well as snatching money and valuables from people using tricycles, a popular means of transportation in the state
the amended bill into law few days after its passage by the state house of assembly, thereby, stipulating a 20-year jail term for any convicted cultist. He said: “As a government, we cannot allow this ugly trend to continue unabated. A situation where children in their teens and majority of our youth population being members of one dangerous cult group or secret society, where they carry guns and other dangerous weapons and create insecurity is unacceptable. As a responsible government, we must put an end to this, and it has to be now.’’
Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, Mr Don Awunah, promised to deal decisively with anybody who indulges in, or sponsors cultism in the state, using the new law.
Also, the Bayelsa State Command of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), a voluntary grassroots security outfit told Daily Trust in Yenagoa that they have trained 500 of their men to be deployed to schools in the state to re-oriented the school children against cultism, if the government will grant approval.
The Commander of VGN in the state, Mr Tolumobofa Jonathan, said as a grassroots voluntary security outfit, they have what it takes to ensure that the state is free from the monster called cultism, because most times the groups are formed from the villages.
Earlier, an NGO called Uniting Youths for a Better Society (UYFABS) had already started anti-cultism campaigns in various schools in the state, a situation that led to over 209 school children and 135 youths renouncing cultism in the past few months. The President of the group, Mr Timothy Johnson, said the aim is to ensure that youths are being drawn out of cultism. He expressed happiness, that the campaign they started about one year ago has finally motivated the government to proscribe cultism, a situation he said will curb the menace.
A security consultant in the state who requested anonymity, ascribed growing rate of cultism and other crimes in the state in the last few months to politicians who arm youths with all sorts of dangerous weapons during elections, and fail to disarm them afterwards.