A total of 48 youths have renounced their membership of various secret cult groups in the Sagamu township of Ogun State.
The ex-cultists also surrendered their weapons illegally acquired for use in their nefarious activities to the state police command at an event held at the palace of the Akarigbo and paramount ruler of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, to enable them benefit from the amnesty programme initiated by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
Some of the weapons submitted by the erstwhile cultists included a pump action gun, four double barrels guns, seven single barrels guns; two English pistols; four locally made pistols and 35 cartridges.
After the takeover of the illegal firearms from the repentant cultists, the commissioner of police in the state, Abiodun Alamutu, said the rationale behind the olive branch extended to former cultists was to “give them a second chance to becoming better citizens” as well as enable them contribute meaningfully to the society for peaceful coexistence.
Alamutu, who recalled the several sleepless nights and havocs which cultism and cult activities have wrecked across the state, particularly the loss of lives in Sagamu township, said the amnesty being enjoyed by the repentant cultists was a product of several engagements between stakeholders in the Remoland and other parts of the state.
“Working with the government and traditional rulers, we kick off this process whereby the cultists will come forward denounce their membership and submit any firearms with them without any punitive measures.
“This is in line with the directive from the inspector- general of police, Kayode Egbetokun, who earlier gave an order that all illicit firearms should be mopped up from the society, even those who have their licences are encouraged to return theirs too,’’ he said.
Alamutu however, admonished other yet-to-embrace-peace-cultists in the state to take advantage of the window period provided by the ongoing Egbetokun Cultists’ Amnesty programme to surrender their weapons, declaring that whosoever that is caught thereafter will be treated as “common criminal”.
