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The Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has vowed to renewed effort to tackle Cultism in the state.
Obaseki spoke with journalists shortly after a closed-door meeting with security chiefs at the Government House in Benin City on Tuesday.
He said the state had passed the anti-cultism law, a step to war against Cultism.
He said since January about 150 persons had been lost to cult-related activities and homicide, adding that his government had declared a total war against cultism and set up a special task force, headed by the Director of the Department of State Services, to check cultism.
He said, “We have just finished the security council meeting where we reviewed the security situation in Edo State since January 2024, with particular emphasis on the security activities in Edo in May 2024.
“From the security management report, which was considered in our meeting, we still have a nagging issue in Edo State, which is cultism. The incidence of cultism is very high.
“What is particularly worrisome about cultism is the related homicide that goes with cult-related activities. From January to date, we have lost over 150 people to cult-related activities and homicide. We can’t tolerate and accept this situation anymore.
“The council today, amongst its decisions, decided to go full blast against cultists and cultism in the state. We have now passed an anti-cultism law in Edo State and that law will be implemented to its fullest.”
Obaseki added, “We have set up a special task force of the security council headed by the Director of DSS that will from tonight review every cult-related occurrence in the state.
“Anybody who claims he is an Okaigele operating in any community will be dealt with strictly by the law.
“The outcome of our security council meeting today is that the state has declared full war on cultists and Okaigeles in Edo State,” he said.
