15 Cultists denounce in Diogbe Enugu community

No fewer than 15 cultist belonging to different cult groups have

openly denounced their membership of cultism in Diogbe community in

Igbo Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State.

The cultists, whose age ranges between 18 and 25 years, before now had

engaged in various crimes and vices within the community and its

neighbourhoods.

Addressing the repentant cultists in the community on Tuesday, the

Traditional Ruler of the community, Igwe Uchenna Anikwe, said that he

and his cabinet members had been battling cultism in the last five

years in the community and had spent a lot of resources on security.

“Before five years ago when we started to fight this monster called

cultism, the community witnessed all sorts of evil and this negative

development discouraged our illustrious sons and daughter not coming

home then.

“However, today, we thank God that our efforts is being crowned by

these our misguided sons coming out willingly to denounce cultism and

its accompanying evils and be good and peaceful indigenes of the

community,’’ Anikwe said.

According to him, for any indigene of the community in any form of

cult group, there will be no hiding place for the person or persons

any longer in the community.

Rev. Fr. Victor Ozioko, a Catholic Priest in the community, admonished

the repentant cultists to draw closer to God and learn how to make it

in live through the grace of God.

“The Church is here to support you in all positive ramifications and

draw you closer to God; while for those of you who are willing to

learn a trade, craft and skill the Church will support you.

“I must thank the traditional ruler and others for ensuring that

peace and security returns to Diogbe and these number of youths are

salvaged from destruction,’’ Ozioko, who is in-charge of St. Charles

Parish, Diogbe, said.

Mr Nestor Ezema, the Chairman of Post Primary School Management Board,

said that the state government was fully out to kick-out all forms of

cultism and unruly behaviours among students in the state.

Ezema, who was represented by Mrs Nkechi Ngwu, urged everybody

especially parents to rise up against unruly behaviours among children

and start monitoring the type of friends they keep in school and at

home.

Administering an oath of denunciation and undertaking on the cultists

on Sunday in the community, the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr

Mohammed Danmallam, urged the repentant cultists to shun acts that

brings them in conflict with the law.

Danmallam, who was represented by the Police Public Relations

Officers, SP Ebere Amaraizu, urged the community members to accept

their misguided sons wholeheartedly; adding that the police would not

accept people stigmatizing them for any reason.

“Our youths must resist temptation of yielding to negative influences

of friends and peer groups if they will become champions tomorrow.

Also, I will enjoin you to know who your friends are and the kind of

life they live to avoid getting involved as well,’’ he advised.

A resident of the community, Mama Veronica Ugwu, noted that the

community had been filled with great joy for their repentant children

as well as answer to their prayers for youths to end cultism and other

deviant behaviours.

One of the repentant cultists, Kingsley Nwafor, advised youths to

avoid evil friends and all forms of “worthless wickedness’’; while

being focus in their pursuit in life.