EXCLUSIVE: The Weird World Of Teenage Cultists In Edo State
Category: Anti-Cultism Campaign
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 Confraternity and Hallah of the Night.
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.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.
“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
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 Confraternity and Hallah of the Night.
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.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.
“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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