Tension in Bayelsa as cultists relocate to creeks

Hello Friends!

Cult groups in Bayelsa State have shifted their activities from Yenagoa, the state capital, to the creeks and rural communities of the state, THE PUNCH has learnt.

Investigations showed that notorious cultists have converted coastal communities to their hideout after fleeing the state capital following manhunt by security agencies especially the police to fish them out.

The police and other security agencies had intensified war against cultists in the state shortly after the state governor, Seriake Dickson, signed the anti-cultism bill into law.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Chris Olakpe, had ordered his operatives to raid all the “dark spots” in Yenagoa and arrest persons suspected to be members of cult groups.

But our correspondent learnt that the two infamous cult groups, Greenlanders and Islanders, clashed at Gbamatoru in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state on Sunday afternoon.

The supremacy battle was said to have claimed the life of a suspected cultists.

The cultists were said to have used different weapons including guns, bottles and machetes in the clash, forcing residents to scamper to safety.

A security source told our correspondent that the victim died of machete wounds.

The source, who pleaded anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, expressed fears that there might be a reprisal from the group whose member was killed.

He was also worried that the recent revocation of contracts by the state government might lead to resurgence of violence in the state.

Our correspondent learnt that many of the ex-militants were allegedly on the payroll of the contractors who lost their jobs in the state.

The government had revoked two major contracts awarded to indigenous firms by the former administration of Governor Timipre Sylva, citing lack of capacity and commitment.

But the source said, “The revocation of contracts has further increased the rate of youth unemployment in the state. The new contractors may not employ the youth who had initially benefitted from the contracts.

“This may lead to resurgence of violence in the state. But we are working assiduously to tackle the emerging problem. We are also going to fish out leaders of these cult groups that are hiding in the creeks.”

Reacting to the development, Olakpe told our correspondent that the police had moved into the creeks to flush out miscreants and cult members.

He said the police had earlier granted amnesty of 72 hours to cultists to enable them to surrender their arms and shun violence.

Culled from The Punch.

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Simply Cheska...