Anxiety in Edo over cultism, insecurity

• Group calls for state of emergency
• PDP cautions police against partisanship

As tension continues to grip residents of Benin City, Edo State, and environs over activities of the state-controlled vigilantes’ services and cult members, the Akugbe Movement has called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in the state to avert the looming violence ahead of September governorship election.

The socio-cultural group based in Edo noted that Benin City has become a beehive of unbearable cult related activities with a high influx of armed hoodlums from different parts of the country in addition to the increasing menace of Edo State Vigilante Services.

The National Coordinator of the Akugbe Movement, Osaro Idemudia, therefore, called on security agencies to flush out hoodlums suspected to be cult members that have entered the state ahead of the planned protests by youths in August, pointing accusing fingers at the Governor of the State, Godwin Obaseki, as a major sponsor of the nationwide protest.

Idemudia also advised the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, and other security agencies to cancel the proposed REMA concert, scheduled for August 30, 2024, at the Ogbe Stadium, Benin City, saying that the event will be inimical to peace of the state, especially with the governorship election coming in September.

The concert, according to him, would be a rallying point for cult boys, who are everywhere in the state, and who are working together under the aegis of Rainbow Movement. “I have never seen a situation where cult boys would now be together under one association, which they call Rainbow movement,” Idemudia said.He criticised the security agencies for turning a blind eye to the nefarious activities of these cult boys and the Edo Vigilante.

MEANWHILE, the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, accused the Edo State Police Command of alleged partisanship, saying that the party members were been unjustly arrested, harassed and intimidated after the political violence that erupted penultimate week in the state.

Briefing newsmen in Benin City, Edo PDP Chairman, Anthony Aziegbemi, called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to use his good offices and formations to ensure that the actual criminals are brought to book as against the innocent members of society being accused.

Aziegbemi said that the police, from their actions and inactions in the wake of the developments in the state, appeared to be acting a script in selective justice, preferring and nitpicking the petitions over which it acts.