In a fight against cultism in Ogun State, Governor Dapo Abiodun, has declared his administration, will henceforth, treat cultism as an act of terrorism.
The governor made the declaration at the Akarigbo’s Palace in Sagamu during a stakeholders’ security meeting, on Friday, May 5.
According to him, “I am declaring cult members, cult activities here as an act of terrorism, I am taking these as a test of this administration’s will. I have sounded a note of warning in times past. I am resounding a fresh note of warning to all cult members, to their parents, to their landlords, to their sponsors.
From today, we are considering cult members and other criminals as saboteurs to the economy of not just this local government, this town, but this state. We will consider them as t€rrorists; I will d€al with them as such.
I have instructed our law enforcement agencies to smoke these people out. I have told the Commissioner of Police that he has no other job until every single member of this cult is found out.
I am still trying to figure out what is the basis, motive and the reason behind these cultist activities in Ogun State, particularly, in Sagamu and Remoland.
We will collaborate with our Royal Majesties and Royal Highnesses in our resolve to bring long-lasting peace to this local government.”
He disclosed that his administration would establish a Joint Intervention Squad made up of the military, police, the Department of State Service, Civil Defence and local vigilantes, to deal with culti$m and other related crimes especially in Sagamu and other parts of the state.
The squad, the governor explained, would be provided with necessary equipment, while its headquarters would be sited in Sagamu Local Government Area.
“Reports show that there has been a prevalence of c¥lt activities in Abeokuta North, Abeokuta South, Sagamu, Ikenne, Odogbolu, particularly. We have been dealing with these issues over time, but in the last few weeks, we have begun to see an upsurge in the cases of inter-cultist rivalry that had resulted in clashes and killings of innocent people,” he said.
