The Rivers State Police Command said it will soon clampdown on cult groups, their sponsors and patrons in the state.
The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Tunde Ogunsakin made the disclosure while in a chat with newsmen in Port Harcourt.
The police boss who recalled his effort in combating crimes since his assumption of office as Commissioner of police in Rivers State stressed that the Command under his administration has continued to ensure that there is no hidden place for criminals.
In order to bring an end to the activities of cultists which have posed serious security threats to the State Police Command, the command established the anti cultism unit in the State Criminal Investigation Department to achieve the desired result.
According to him, “I have strategically marshaled out a formidable operational plan that will be given to their members who might be ready to denounce their membership of these cult groups, it is on the strength of this that I am allowing some grace period this is in line with the provisions of the law, this premise on selection cult and similar activities prohibition law No. 6 of 2004 Rivers State which states that “any member of a secret cult who voluntarily renounce his membership of cult and submits any offensive weapon in his possession to the police shall be free from prosecution under the law”, stressing that the Police Public Relations Officer is open to any cult member on further consultations on the procedure.
According to him as part of the wide strategies to drive its mandate, the Anti Cultism Unit has since embarked on intensive intelligence gathering and surveillance activities aimed at unveiling whom the sponsors, patrons and members of these cult groups are, adding that the efforts are yielding positive results and that the Command will soon clampdown on the cult groups, their sponsors and patrons that have been so far identified. ###
Emeka Jilly Ejiowhor
