Cult Clash: Peace Returns To Abraka

By Daniel Dafe

The over three-week-old cult clash in Abraka, Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State, between Eiye and Vikings confraternities has ended.

President, Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, Youthwing, Worldwide and Member representing Youths in the State Community Policing Committee (SCPC), Delta State Command, Comr. (Dr) Kelly Efemena Umukoro,spoke to Oasis Magazine on the development.

According to him, “it is quite unfortunate that at this stage of our development where youths are supposed to be the vanguard for change and democracy, some youths who have been misled have decided to use their energy wrongly to fight over supremacy over each other.”

He continued: “It’s quite unfortunate that at the end of the three weeks rascality, a youth, Orema, lost his life, though he was not killed by the rival cult, but it was as a result of the crisis we lost a youth and as a critical stakeholder representing the youth in the state, I took it upon myself with other critical stake holders to seek for peace with the collaboration of the Nigerian police, and other leaders.

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“It is unfortunate that the crisis was caused by a mere assumption and not fact and yesterday being the 25th of November we were able to get those rival groups to a place where they got two representatives each and then stakeholders were there.

“The anti cult group was led by the zonal anti cult commandant, Comrade Ali Godwin; I led the part of the stakeholders and then the leaders of these other cult groups were there and we sounded it as a clear warning to them that not again in Urhobo land are we going to accept violent cultism.

“We made them to understand the disadvantage of being a cultist. We also took our time to preach to them that the energy they use in involving themselves in rascality can be converted for the betterment of our community and one of the disadvantages of being a cultist is that it destroys life, shortens life span, and leads to rustication from the university. If the university should find out that you are a cultist, you can be rusticated. It brings disgrace to your family, it brings disgrace to your community, it gives you low self esteem because you can’t come outside and say I’m a cultist.”

“So we advised them to talk to the other members so that they can come out of this cult group to become a champion,” he said.

According to him, the peace talk was held at the zonal Anti-cult office in Abraka.

Furthermore, he said:  “So for now, there is peace in Abraka, there is no more court clash and we will continue to do our best as stakeholders to see that our communities are safe for law abiding citizens to stay in.”

Speaking further, he hinted that community policing has always been a link and a bridge between the government, the people and the police.

He thanked the Commissioner of Police, CP Ari Muhammed Ali, the police division, Special Anti-Cult Unit (SACU) of the Nigerian Police Force and the Anti-Cult Volunteer Corps for the role they played in restoring peace to the community.