Youths demolish 3 houses in Imo over cultism

Aggrieved youths in Irete autonomous community in Owerri West Local Council of Imo State, has destroyed at least three house belonging to the suspected cult members over the killing of a member.

The angry youths had marched to the three houses of suspected cult members in two villages of the community (Umuoyo and Umueduru-Umuekwene), to enforce the ban on cultism in the community.

Some cult members had gone in a boundary between Irete community and borrow pit, a suburb, killing one of the cult members who later died in a hospital.

Angered by this ugly situation, the youths, numbering, about 3,000 marched to the affected houses and destroyed the homes of the parents of the suspects, essentially as a deterrent to others who may want to indulge in such act.

Speaking on the incident, the monarch of the community, Eze Ethelbert Ekwelibe, regretted that despite the warning slammed on cult members to desist from such act or face demolition of their homes, they still continued.

Ekwelibe, disclosed that the community had a few days ago, held a meeting where it was resolved that any member of the community caught in cultism, would face the fate, while any non indigene, caught, would be disgraced and forced out of the community, adding: ‘’If you are not an indigene, and lives in Irete, you do that, you will be forced to go that day. That is the decision. You don’t do that within the community. I don’t think we can continue with all these things. We cannot live with such people.’’

Speaking on the torching of the two houses, Ekwelibe said: ‘’This one is the final warning. Next one, we will bring down the houses. We want zero tolerance for such. We want peace here. Two of the cult members were handed over to the police.’’

Similarly the police monitoring team of the Imo State Command had over the weekend arrested four armed robbers who terrorizes the Irete Community. Out of the four suspects two including Moses Mberekpe from Orsu Obodo in Oguta LGA and Azubuike also from Oguta LGA was shot dead during gun battle.

The suspects include a 28years Emeka Nwaigwe from Umuekwune Irte,Owerri West LGA and Ifeanyi Ebuka 38years, a native of Ishinweke in Ihitte/Uboma LGA that terrorized the Irete community

In a statement issued in Owerri yesterday by the Police Public Relation Office of Imo State Police Command DSP Andrew Enwerem confirmed the incident.