The once frequently terrorized communities in the Andoni local government area which severally dented her image in the public is on the verge of experiencing relative peace as the cultists responsible for the terror attacks had accepted the offer of peace and laid down their arms.
The peace deal which was brokered and facilitated by the caretaker chairman of the local government, Hon. Engr. Ofiks Kagbang Christopher was made public last Thursday June 16th, 2016 when a cross section of the cultists publicly denounced their membership in an event held at Ngo town headquarters of the LGA. They promised to abide by the offered peace as they plead for forgiveness and signed a peace pact with the government of Rivers State and Andoni local government area, pledged never to return back to their puke.
Facilitator of the peace and Caretaker Chairman, Andoni Local Government Area, Hon. Engr. Ofiks Kagbang Christopher has admonished the repentant cultists who in their numbers publicly denounced membership and embraced Peace against touching anything harmful such as guns, knife, clubs or any semblance of evil but to allow God rule their lives as the state government would integrate those interested into her skills programme and urged them to reach out, preach peace to their friends who were absent at the public peace rally, noting that investors as well as development eludes societies and communities where insecurity prevails.
Engr. Ofiks Kagbang who gave the admonition at Ngo Town, headquarters of the LGA and venue of the peace rally thanked Rivers State Governor Chief Barr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike for providing the enabling platform to ensure peace in all parts of the state, adding that the peace rally in Andoni Local Government Area where ex-cultists publicly accepted the offer of peace was consequent upon the Governor’s efforts to rid-of the state of criminality.
Speaking to the Andoni people on God’s move in bringing back lasting ‘peace’ to the area, the Caretaker Chairman noted that security is everybody’s business and called for collaboration amongst citizens.
In his remarks, the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command represented at the event by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Operations, AC, A.A. Mohammed has said that it was a joyous moment for some people to have decided to return home, denounced cultism for peace, saying that engaging in cultism was total waste of time and efforts, adding that it behooves of someone to sit down and have a rethink of himself being a noble member of the society.
According to the Police Commissioner, they were at Ngo town to witness and take charge of the event so as to embrace and assimilate the repentant cultists into the society to become reasonable and responsible to themselves, Andoni and Rivers State at large.
Speaking also at the event, a recognized traditional ruler HRH Uboon U.D. Ngere, Ambassador of Peace had while welcoming the once strayed youths back home warned them against returning back to cultism, adding that its consequences would be disastrous.
Meanwhile, the duo of Friday Derefa Bara and Ataisi Simeon Theophilus, spokesmen for the repentant cultists have promised to abide by the offer of peace and never to return to cultism, declared to be submissive and peaceful to the society and Andoni, and appealed to the Commissioner of Police for the release of their friends and colleagues in prison yards.
Highlights of the event were prayers for the repentant youths and peace of Obolo land by Apostle Zebulon Sunday Warigbani, superintendent of The Apostolic Church, Andoni field and presentation of copies of the Holy Bible to the ex-cultists by the Caretaker Chairman.
Dignitaries at the event were, the Area commander, Bori, ACP A.H. Usman; Assistant Commissioner of Police Operations, A.C., A. A. Mohammed who also represented the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command; CSP Udueni Godwin, DPO, Ngo Division; Commander PMF 56 represented by 2i/c SP Kelvin Ayegbosi; and Commander Anti-Cultism, CSP Monsi. Others were the DSS boss, Andoni Local Government, Douglas; NOA boss, Andoni Local Government; HRH, Uboon U.D. Ngere, AMB.P,JP; Pastors, Union leaders and members of the Caretaker Committee for Andoni LGA. ###
