NOCSON Raises Concern Over Cult Killings In Edo

The Network of Civil Society Organisations of Nigeria, NOCSON, has raised concern over the high rate of cult killings in Edo State and has called for the return of Edo State Security Network, ESSN, to check the trend.
In a statement signed and made available to journalists in Benin, the President of NOCSON, Comrade Emmanuel Ogbidi, said recent killings in the state called for serious concern and that proactive and urgent steps need to be taken to stop it before it snowballed into a bigger crisis.
“NOCSON had recently frowned on the killings in Edo State in which an estimated 10 persons were confirmed dead – four persons recorded at Upper Sokponba, while others were scattered in various parts of Benin Metropolis, with some other victims sustaining various degree of injuries,” Ogbidi said.
While blaming the spate of insecurity in the state on the ban of the Edo State Security Network (ESSN) by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Agbetokun before the state governorship election, Comrade Ogbidi said the only way to arrest the ugly situation is to lift the ban on the suspended group.
He said, “The alleged cult clash, which is perceived to be between rival cult groups has been largely blamed on the porous nature of security in the state, following the needless ban on the Edo State Joint Security Network earlier trained by the police.
“Petty crimes such as one chance, theft, breaking and entry and several attacks on women going to markets in the early hours of the morning have been on the increase since the absence of the local vigilante.
“This decision by the IGP which has since led to the compromise of the security architecture in Edo State, is a decision which is highly condemnable, regrettable and very appalling, and must be revisited by all concerned, with the urgency it deserves to quickly arrest the deteriorating security situation in Edo State.
“You will agree with me that the vigilante were very helpful in community policing, information gathering and sharing to the police and swift response to crime within the locals as well as taming cultist and cultism in their domain of operations as they are said to know who is who in their area; hence could easily suspect a strange fellow or movement.”
He said it was regrettable that the police could not give any hope to Edo people on their safety at this material time of secret related cult killings.
He called on the Edo State Commissioner of Police to do a proper investigation into the cult killings and bring the menace to a halt urgently, while those involved in the killings should sheathe their swords.
He said the utmost interest of NOCSON was to make the society habitable and a better place for all”.