Otukpo: Families of cultists to be ostracized – George Alli

By: Ene Yusuf

In order to stop the menace of killings by cultists in Otukpo LGA of Benue State, arrangement has been put in place to ostracize the entire families of anybody arrested in relation to cult activities.

The council Chairman, Chief George Alli who disclosed this to newsmen in his office said such move was necessary because family was supposed to be the first moral training ground of every child but regrettably, this appears not to be the case now.

The chairman who decried the activities of some parents who were in the habits of mounting pressures on him each time their children or wards were arrested said he would never succumb to such pressures.

He said he had conscientized the church, the traditional institutions as well as the general public on the debilitating effects of cultism to no avail.

According to him, “if after doing all these and some parents will still be putting pressures on me to help secure the release of their wards or children from the security, then it means that they are in support of their children’s cult activities”.

He stated further that, ” I have discussed with our royal fathers and we have agreed that any body whose child is found culpable of cult related crime will be severely sanctioned. And any body who provides refuge to fleeing member(s) of cult will equally faced similar consequences “.

Consequently, the Paramount ruler of Otukpo, Dr John Eimonye and his team has embarked on sensitization exercise to all the villages under his domain.

In the last few days, the royal team had visited Akpegede, Otobi, Ojantele, Ikobi, Ebologba, Obaganya, Otukpo-Icho, Otada, Akpachi, Otukpo-Nobi, Amla, Emichi, Idabi, Okpomaju and may be visiting Ochito today.

It was gathered that similar exercise was simultaneously going on in Adoka, Ugboju and Akpa district of Otukpo local government area.