..Obaseki sets up special team to combat cultist
….Police assures of rescue of kidnapped Appeal Court Judge
The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has set-up a special team to review and curb the incidence of cultism in the state.
This is on the heels of the reported killing of not less than eight persons in the last one week as a result of renewed cult war between rival cult groups.
Gov Obaseki disclosed this while addressing journalists after the monthly state security meeting held at Government House in Benin City, the Edo State capital.
Obaseki said the special team would ensure that the law passed on cultism in the state is activated while persons found culpable of cult-related crime would be prosecuted, noting, “Our goal is to make sure that cases of cultism are properly dealt with.
We will ensure that we have conviction particularly in our institutions of higher learning.”
Obaseki noted that the review of the incidence of crime in the state for the month of October showed that kidnapping was on the increase, adding that the cases of kidnapping are reviewed with a view to improving local and state government strategies in combatting the crime.
The Edo State Commissioner of Police, DanMallam Mohammed said security agencies in the state are working to ensure the release of Hon. Justice Chioma Nwosu-Iheme, who was kidnapped recently in the state.
“The kidnap of Hon. Justice Nwosu-Iheme is a major setback to us because we have recently recorded successes in checkmating activities of cultism . Concerted effort is being made to ensure the Justice is released,” he said.
Meanwhile then cult killings which has been on in the last nine days as a result renewed cult war said to be among three rival cult groups; maphites, black axe popularly called aye and eiye confraternities.
The killings started upper Friday when a 200 level student of the university of Benin Moses Adeshina popularly called Aficionado was shot dead while students were having a jeans carnival and this led to the suspension of all social activities in the school by management.
Few minutes after Aficionado was buried on Wednesday, two persons were reportedly attacked in Wire Road and Siluko Road while the victim in Wire Road died identified as Osasuyi aka 190, the one in Siluko Road identified as Moses Oboh was severely injured.
A day after the killing of Aficionado, which was a Saturday, one person was reportedly killed around Isior area of Benin City and in the evening of the same day, another person was said to have been killed around Osasogie area of Ugbowo.
Another person was reportedly killed on Sunday night around Adolor area of Ugbowo and another person in Uwasota and on Wednesday night, two persons were reportedly killed in Gani Fawehinmi layout, Isinoro near New Benin.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Chidi Nwabuzor said “The situation in the University of Benin, it was reported that one person was killed as a result of cultism that is as a result of cult fight then about Wednesday Oba market police reported the killing of a young man.”
He said a special team of policemen have been deployed to comb the state of cultism.
VANGUARD
