90% of cult-related deaths not documented – Anambra CP

The Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Mr Chris Owolabi, on Wednesday said that 90 percent of cult related deaths in Nigeria have no documentation.

He observed that most parents and guardians of students involved in cult practices and who get killed in the process never want such cases investigated due to their nature and the accompanying shame.

Owolabi spoke during a Peace/Security Summit organised by the National Association of Nigeria Student (NANS) in collaboration with the Anambra State Police Command at the University Auditorium, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

He warned youths, especially students, to desist from any form of evil practices that could compromise their bright future,

The Summit with the theme, “Importance of Safe Society and The Role of Nigerian Students, Youths in the Security of Our Campuses”, was aimed at sensitising students on the need for proper security in their neighbourhood.

The CP, represented by the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations in the state, ACP Emmanuel Ogbuanya, said: “Cultism has been the mother of most crimes committed by the youths.

“The high rate of illegal drug consumption has landed most youths in trouble and early grave. I advise you to quit the act. Most cultists were groomed in the institutions of learning.”

While advising parents to take the issue of cultism seriously, he urged parents to inculcate good moral values in their children as well as monitor their movements.

The CP urged students across institutions of higher learning in the country to be brave and release timely information to security forces in their various states.

Earlier in his welcome speech, the convener and NANS Senate President, Comrade Chuks Innocent Okafor, said the event was occasioned by the state of insecurity currently witnessed in the county.

Okafor added that security in the country had deteriorated terribly, hence the need for youths to step up for a solution.

He blamed youth increased involvement in crime on consumption of hard drugs and urged them to desist from such or risk being destroyed by the act.

Okafor regretted the current security situation in the country especially in the South-East region, even as he urged government to stop the spate of killings and raping of farmers by Fulani militia group.

He called on leaders to organise a national summit where problems of the country would be discussed and addressed.

In his remark, the host and Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Professor Charles Esimone, stressed that a lot of lives and future had been truncated as a result of the current wave of insecurity in the country.

Esimone, represented by the Dean of Student Affairs, Professor Chinonso Achebe, added: “The time has come for us to advise ourselves and turn from hearers of words to doers of good things.

“I advise the students to be security-conscious and enjoin them to take the security of their lives and their environment serious. Heed advice from Police in your daily living.”

Speaking on the theme of the summit, Comrade Obiora Agbasimelo enjoined the youths to imbibe the spirit of unity, tolerance and accept one another irrespective of social and ethnic background.

He called on youths to obtain and play an active role in the coming Anambra State governorship election and shun being used as tools in the hands of politicians to execute heinous crimes.