Chairman of Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State, Hope Ikiriko, has said that the battle to control oil bunkering business is the major cause of killings, cultism and kidnappings in communities in the area.
He stated this while reading the riot act to crude oil thieves and cultists in the area at a special security summit tagged Strategy Session on the Security Architecture and Situational Critique at Akinima, the council’s headquarters.
The council boss noted that cult groups struggle to be in charge of illegal deals leading to killings, kidnapping and general insecurity.
Ikiriko said: “Insecurity in Ahoada West in particular bothers on cultism and bunkering.
“Henceforth, we will begin to see both the military, Police and other security agencies in your farms because there is an order by the Federal government to step up their efforts on security and clamp down on kidnappers, cultists and other criminals.
“They are not coming after you, but after those who have made the area uncomfortable for us. Since the situation had got out of hand, government must be on top of the situation.
“Ahoada West is part of this country and, therefore, they must enforce law and order in this local government area. If your brother and sister are in cult, it is not too late to repent and embrace the amnesty offered by the governor of the state.
“Going forward, for communities where cultism and kidnapping are encouraged, we will toe the line of our governor; we have his full support in this regard. We will not allow crisis in our communities. If you do not want to end the crisis, the law will take its course.
”We are working with the legislature of the council to present an executive bill that is geared towards ensuring the review, profiling and security checks on the youth bodies, and their activities, including the conduct of their elections.”
”We are willing to give amnesty to repentant cultists, criminals and all those who will repent and turn a new leaf. As we open the window of olive branch, the government will give them support, rebuild and equip them with necessary skills for proper reintegration into the society.
“Enough is enough, cultism, kidnapping and other related activities will not see the light of the day. If you say we will not sleep, you also will not sleep. We will continue to provide every logistics needed for security agencies to tackle the insecurity.”
Before now, scores of suspected cultists had surrendered their arms and renounced cultism in a voluntary amnesty in the area.
