Over 300 youths take oath to renounce membership of cult groups in Rivers

Monday, July 27, 2020 11:12 pm

Some of the youths

* In June 2019, rival cult groups in Ibaa had also entered into peace accord, but it failed

Okafor Ofiebor Port Harcourt

About 300 youths in Ibaa Community, Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State have been compelled by the Ibaa Security Peace and Advisory Committee, ISPAC to take oath denouncing their membership of various cult groups.

A prominent indigene Ibaa Community who does not his in print lamented that socio-economic activities in Ibaa and the nearby Obele communities have come to a halt as a result of activities of cult groups in the area.

Another notable indigene of Obele also said since the oath taking ceremony, the cultists have voluntarily renounced cultism and violence associated with it.

” I can assure you that since oaths were administered the to Cult boys in Obele, we have experienced relative peace.It is based on the our recorded peace that our brothers in the Ibaa community decided to embrace it”.

He, however, restated that there were still some recalcitrant cultists who refused to denounce their membership of the deadly gangs, but instead, fled the community.

The voluntary renunciation of cultism and oath taking followed 21 days ultimatum handed down by ISPAC Vigilante to youths in the area to renounce their membership of the deadly gangs.

The Chief security officer of Ibaa Security Peace and Advisory Committee, Ohaka Obisike and the Secretary, Livingston Chikakpobi had warned that all those engaged in cult related activities in the area must to come for the oath taking within the 21 days.

Some of the repentant cultists who spoke at the occasion said their participation in the oath taking is a proof of their willingness to embrace peace, just as they called on those who are yet to embrace the peace deal in Ibaa to urgently do so.

Recall that on June 2, 2019, a peace accord was also signed among rival cult groups to eschew violence in the community.

The peace accord then was facilitated by Emohua local government Council Chairman, Tom Aliezi who promised to put the repentant Cultists on the Council’s payroll.

But the peace accord did not last.