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Cultism is one of the major problems confronting Edo State
and, of course, any Commissioner of Police posted to the
state. The rate at which youths in the state, particularly in
Benin-City, “blend” into different cult groups is so
worrisome to law enforcement agents who try to stop them,
some times during initiations, at the late hours of the night.
But the situation is more worrisome in Benin-City, after the
police command in the state discovered that teenagers are
being initiated into two cult groups. Eiye Confrarnity and
Hallah of the Night.
Last week in Benin-City, Edo State Police Commissioner,
Funso Adebanjo, paraded 15 youths, between ages 13 and
15, suspected of being cultists, with different arms and
ammunition. The suspects were said to have been arrested
at Unewa village near Uromi and Ologbo town respectively,
and confessed to being members of Eiye Confraternity and
Hallah of the Night. Some of the items recovered from them
include two battle axes, one Eiye Confraternity flag and a
calabash.
The Edo police boss, Adebanjo, explained that eight
suspected members of the Hallah of the Night were arrested
in Uromi while seven members of the Eiye Confraternity
were arrested at Ologbo.
“They confessed that they were initiated by other members
of the group. We are surprised that little boys are going into
cultism and they did not deny,’’ Adebanjo said. ‘’Some of
them said they just felt that belonging to a cult group will
give them the confidence that they are now big boys.
Majority of them are secondary school students, but some
are out of school, especially those who are in Eiye, those
ones who are members of the Hallah of the Night are
secondary school students. We discovered that this issue of
peer group where children mix with friends is very
dangerous because that is how these people are initiated
into cultism. It is unfortunate that it happens, parents have
a role to play to protect their children
. ‘’The law will not spare them if they commit any offence,
no matter their age. What they are doing is unlawful and
that is how they enter into crimes like armed robbery and
kidnapping. We have discovered that these cultists are
fearless and they are the ones who can do anything, they
can be ruthless. These are people who will storm people’s
houses and slaughter their targets like the ISIS group in Iraq
or even Boko Haram.
We watch the ones they do in Iraq and
think it is impossible, but it happens here in Nigeria.
‘’These cultists behead themselves when they are fighting.
And that is why people like us are bothered because it has
gone down to secondary and primary schools and that is
worrisome and unfortunate. Their sponsors deceive them
that they will be protected and these teenagers will join. It
is very unfortunate; that is why parents must watch their
children seriously, particularly the friends they keep. ‘’We
will take them to juvenile court while those above 18 will be
taken to a regular court”. The police boss further warned
that the police in Edo would not tolerate any form of cultism,
describing it as barbaric “and anyone caught will be dealt
with accordingly.’’
One of the suspects, who identified himself as John Osagie,
13, spoke about how he joined the Hallah of the Night.
“What happened was that some of my friends became so
strong in school that people feared them. So they told me if
I wanted to be strong, I should come and be their member.
That is how they took me to the bush and I became a
member.’’
and, of course, any Commissioner of Police posted to the
state. The rate at which youths in the state, particularly in
Benin-City, “blend” into different cult groups is so
worrisome to law enforcement agents who try to stop them,
some times during initiations, at the late hours of the night.
But the situation is more worrisome in Benin-City, after the
police command in the state discovered that teenagers are
being initiated into two cult groups. Eiye Confrarnity and
Hallah of the Night.
Last week in Benin-City, Edo State Police Commissioner,
Funso Adebanjo, paraded 15 youths, between ages 13 and
15, suspected of being cultists, with different arms and
ammunition. The suspects were said to have been arrested
at Unewa village near Uromi and Ologbo town respectively,
and confessed to being members of Eiye Confraternity and
Hallah of the Night. Some of the items recovered from them
include two battle axes, one Eiye Confraternity flag and a
calabash.
The Edo police boss, Adebanjo, explained that eight
suspected members of the Hallah of the Night were arrested
in Uromi while seven members of the Eiye Confraternity
were arrested at Ologbo.
“They confessed that they were initiated by other members
of the group. We are surprised that little boys are going into
cultism and they did not deny,’’ Adebanjo said. ‘’Some of
them said they just felt that belonging to a cult group will
give them the confidence that they are now big boys.
Majority of them are secondary school students, but some
are out of school, especially those who are in Eiye, those
ones who are members of the Hallah of the Night are
secondary school students. We discovered that this issue of
peer group where children mix with friends is very
dangerous because that is how these people are initiated
into cultism. It is unfortunate that it happens, parents have
a role to play to protect their children
. ‘’The law will not spare them if they commit any offence,
no matter their age. What they are doing is unlawful and
that is how they enter into crimes like armed robbery and
kidnapping. We have discovered that these cultists are
fearless and they are the ones who can do anything, they
can be ruthless. These are people who will storm people’s
houses and slaughter their targets like the ISIS group in Iraq
or even Boko Haram.
We watch the ones they do in Iraq and
think it is impossible, but it happens here in Nigeria.
‘’These cultists behead themselves when they are fighting.
And that is why people like us are bothered because it has
gone down to secondary and primary schools and that is
worrisome and unfortunate. Their sponsors deceive them
that they will be protected and these teenagers will join. It
is very unfortunate; that is why parents must watch their
children seriously, particularly the friends they keep. ‘’We
will take them to juvenile court while those above 18 will be
taken to a regular court”. The police boss further warned
that the police in Edo would not tolerate any form of cultism,
describing it as barbaric “and anyone caught will be dealt
with accordingly.’’
One of the suspects, who identified himself as John Osagie,
13, spoke about how he joined the Hallah of the Night.
“What happened was that some of my friends became so
strong in school that people feared them. So they told me if
I wanted to be strong, I should come and be their member.
That is how they took me to the bush and I became a
member.’’
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