Edo State Government has vowed to make the state uncomfortable for cultists and other criminal elements, assuring that it would spare no efforts at flushing them out of the state.
The state government stated this on Sunday while reading the riot acts to the cultists and criminals terrorising the residents, including those who attacked military men in the state.
Disclosing that efforts and in top gear to clear the state of all undesirable elements, the state government vowed that criminals operating under the guise of Okaigheles (youth leaders) in the various communities across the state would not be spared either.
The Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Osa Nehikhare, gave the assurance during a visit to wounded soldiers and a police officer shot by suspected cultists in the Okomu/Ijaw Community in Ovia South West Local Government Area of the state.
While pledging the Edo State government’s support to foot the bills of the wounded military officers receiving treatment at the military base Hospital, Benin, city, Nehikhare, said that the attack on soldiers by civilians in the Okomu community was not unconnected with the nefarious of activities of cultists.
Nehikhare, who said that Governor, Godwin Obaseki frowned at the attack on military personnel, added that a task force, led by the Director of State Security Service (DSS), had been set up by the state government to combat cult groups in the state.
“It is not right in any way for the military to be attacked in any community in Edo State. A few weeks ago, we were all aware of what happened in our neighbouring Delta State, where over 20 soldiers were killed by some youths.
“In Edo State, we have a bad case of cultism and what we also call Okaigheles(Youth Leaders) in Benin and across Edo South Senatorial District.
“The data available to us as provided to the State Security Council have said that these are the people that are mostly responsible and a threat to the security in Edo State.
“That is why this group of people were banned, and a task force was set up to look into their activities to neutralise whatever evil plans they have.
“As the governor placed a ban on the Okaigheles (youth leaders), we discovered that some people also went ahead to say they should ignore the government ban.
“There’s only one government at a time, and that emboldened these people to go into Okomu forest in our community to attack our soldiers, protecting our assets. One of the soldiers is on the bed in critical condition. Three officers, an officer, and two soldiers were badly injured.
“The gunboat they were in was destroyed and riddled with bullets. This is happening in Edo State. We don’t want a situation where we will be losing soldiers to civilians or reckless and dangerous cult groups.
“We plead with our leaders, the leaders of Edo South especially, to rein in their children and rein in these people that they have armed one way or the other because the arms they are using are kept somewhere, they are provided by somebody.
“Now, they are using it to attack soldiers, not only soldiers but even civilians on the streets of Edo state.
“We have come to quickly visit the wounded officers and the Army to plead with them and more importantly, to let them know we will take care of whatever bill is incurred and to assure them that Edo State Government will not tolerate this untoward behaviour.
“We don’t want what happened in Odi Community in Bayelsa State to happen here in Edo or a repeat of what happened recently in Delta to happen here.
“It is a serious matter, and all Edo people, irrespective of political affiliations, must support the government in this fight against cultism and killings going on. Since January till date, we have lost 150 people in cult-related violence.
“I am here to plead with the Army, and we are happy that the Army is a very responsible organization, who did not take the laws into their own hands, if not the story would have been different today,” Nehikhare said.
ALSO READ THESE TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNEÂ
and then