By Ebiowei Lawal
YENAGOA-The government of Bayelsa State has granted amnesty to 500 youths involvde in cult related activities in the state.
The cultists renounced their membership to cult organisations in the state at a public function in Yenagoa.
It was learnt that the move is geared towards engaging the repentant cultists to help government and security outfits in the state to curtail the increasing rate of criminality in the state.
The renunciation exercise that took place in Yenagoa, the state capital, was coordinated by the chairman of the Bayelsa State Volunteers Force, Mr. Douye Koroye.
According to him the renounciation exercise was organised as part of the effort of the State Government to give second chance to members of cult organizations to renounce their membeeship or face stiff resistance.
Comrade Koroye explained that the Bayelsa Volunteer Force with the assistance of the State Government decided to give cult members a second chance to embrace the amended version of the state Anti-Cultism Law.
Hon. Peter Akpe, the leader of the State House of Assembly explained that the decision of the Governor of the state, Hon. Seriake Dickson to ascent to the amended version of the is hinged on the need to strengthen the police to expeditiously prosecute suspected cultists and witch hunt youths in the state.
According to Akpe, “nobody is interested in killing any youth in the State. As you denounce, that is the end of shame and evil in your life.”
While admonishing youths to refrain from cultism, he said “cultism will not take you anywhere. Cutltism is for the weak minded youths. Anything you take by shedding blood will be taken from you by shedding your own blood. ”
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Central Zone, Tari Porri, said youths of the State should shun cultism and focus their energy at emerging political force that would take leadership of the country in 2019.
Porri told the repentant youths that the umbrella body of Ijaw Youths under his leadership has resolved to support any Ijaw youths interested in vying for political positions in 2019.
“But what the IYC will not do is involved itself in helping any Ijaw youth that has cult related case.” Porri further explained.
