Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa
The resurgence of cult activities in Bayelsa State wednesday took its toll on the divisional headquarters of the Nigerian Police Force in Oporoma, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state, when some suspected cultists invaded and completely torched the station.
But disturbed by the latest trend, the state House of Assembly wednesday moved to tighten the noose on cultists by amending the existing law to include a 20-year jail term for those found guilty of the vice.
It was gathered that armed cultists attacked police officers on duty, who scampered for safety, before setting the station ablaze, a situation that left Oporoma, headquarters of the local council, in chaos.
Police authorities in the state confirmed that the attack on the police station was carried out after a suspected cultist who was being held, attempted to break jail and was shot dead by an officer on duty.
Colleagues of the deceased cultists reportedly mobilised, armed themselves and attacked the police station, completely razing it.
Spokesman of the state police command, Asinim Butswat, who confirmed the attack, admitted that cases of cult attacks were on the rise in the state.
He said: “reports indicate that a suspected cultist who was on police wanted list for various heinous crimes such as kidnapping, sea robbery, armed robbery, and acts of pipeline vandalism, was arrested and detained at the Oporoma Police Division, Southern Ijaw LGA, preparatory to being transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Intelligence Department (SCIID), Yenagoa.
“The suspect on March 21, 2018, attempted to escape from lawful custody and was shot by the police officer on duty. Other members of the suspect’s cult group mobilized and attacked officers on duty at the Police Division and set it ablaze,†Butswat said.
He noted that additional policemen had been deployed to restore normalcy in the community, adding that “There seems to be emergence of cases of cultism in Bayelsa State.â€
Meanwhile, the state House of Assembly has commenced the process of amending the Secret Cult Bill to include a 20-year jail term for any person arrested and sentenced for cult violence in the state.
The motion for amendment, which was moved yesterday on the floor of the assembly by the leader of the House, Peter Akpe (Sagbama 2) also empowered the state law courts to detain suspects arrested for cult-related activities for 30days.
The amendment also empowers the state governor to revoke the Certificate of Occupancy of any property or premises used to hold meetings by suspected cult groups in the state.
Akpe urged his colleagues to strengthen the law due to the rising attacks and killings carried out by secret cult members and their alleged sponsors.
In a similar development, the state Coordinator of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC), Mrs Loto Omolayo yesterday visited Luntis Julius, a corps member, from Taraba State , who was severely injured by cultists last weekend.
Omolayo, who spoke during the visit at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri in Yenagoa, said after a surgical operation, the condition of the corps member was stable, noting that the victim’s hand was not completely yanked off as reported.
She thanked the community and the police for swiftly arresting the suspects and condemned the attack on the corps members’ lodge.
Four suspected cultists had on Sunday attacked a lodge occupied by corps members at Angalabiri, Sagbama , injuring the corps member and carting away a laptop, two phones and N10,000.
The state Ministry of Education had also expelled seven students from Central Epie Secondary School, during the week, over alleged engagement in cultism and cult-related activities in the school premises.
