Emmanuel begs churches to spearhead fight against cultism in Akwa Ibom schools

Worried by last Thursday’s murder of one James Elijah Aduk, an SS2 student of Community Secondary School (CSS), Aka Offot, Uyo, Akwa state capital, governor Udom Emmanuel has called for partnership with Churches to assist the government in stemming the rate of cult-related activities among youths in the state.

One Samuel Effiong Archibong (18), an SS3 student popularly called Benzema, a notorious cultist was said to have stabbed the deceased to death when the late James failed to succumb to his entreaties to join his cult group.

Therefore, governor Emmanuel, during a courtesy visit on him by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Pastors led by Pastor Idris Enoch, in -charge of Region 14, at Government House, Uyo, appealed to the Church to lead the battle against the malaise.

The governor who lamented the level of moral decadence among youths said the trend of cult activities in secondary schools could be reduced with the assistance of the leadership of the Church through preaching God’s word and instilling Godly morals and values to youths.

He noted that most crime-related activities in the state are connected to cult activities, which have ravaged the secondary school system and frowned at persons recruiting youths into such fruitless ventures.

“I need the Church to help me on this war against cultism, if we don’t do something now, if we don’t arise to it now it’s going to cause a problem. You can’t believe that this week an SS3 student used a knife and stabbed an SS2 student because they are in rival cult groups in a secondary school, and how did he go to school with a knife used to stab another student?”

“Unfortunately for us, we are running free and compulsory education, so these ones perpetuating nefarious activities don’t mind sewing a uniform as if they are joining secondary schools, actually they are on evangelism initiating other students.

“If you check every single problem and social vices I am having here stems out of cultism if you arrest armed robbers one hundred per cent of them are of different cult groups, get any of them they are attached to different cult groups.

“I often say if the indoctrination you are giving to these young men ends in violence, killings, in crime, in the shedding of blood so you have to think that what you are doing is not right.”

Governor Emmanuel, however, appreciated the partnership between the leadership of the Church and government, and welcomed Pastor Idris Enoch of Redeemed Christian Church of God ( RCCG) in charge of Region 14, to the State.

In his remarks, Pastor Idris Enoch, in charge of Region 14, thanked Governor Udom Emmanuel for a warm reception accorded the team.

Pastor Enoch, commended Governor Emmanuel for the relative peace and security in the state which he emphasized is the bedrock of development and the landmark achievements recorded by the present administration.

“Since we came we have studied the situation on the ground and our record shows that since you became the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, there has been relative peace and security.

“I want to thank God for your life, if there is anything a nation needs, it is the security of lives and property. This atmosphere explains some of the landmark development you are seeing on the ground today in the state. We have also observed that very unusual and uncommonly, your administration has fully brought God into governance which has helped in security,” he noted.

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