Worries by the increasing spate of cult related killings in Ogoni land, particularly in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, Ogoni leaders have threatened to ostracize all those sponsoring the violence.
The Ogoni leaders, comprising elders, political office holders, elected representatives of the people, traditional rulers, chiefs, religious leaders, women and youth groups, reached the resolution after a meeting that held on Monday at Sakpenwa, headquarters of Tai Local Government Area, warned that any person who fails to abide by the decision of the leaders should be declared an enemy of the people and treated as such.
In a communiqué raised at the end of the meeting, the Ogoni leaders further resolved that traditional and community leaders, including youth leaders who fail to expose the identities of perpetrators or fail to administer the traditional oaths on their subjects would not only be deposed but treated as accomplices.
According to them, a dedicated telephone number has been created and publicized for each Local Government Area, for people to send credible, even if anonymous, actionable information on any threats to security in their area.
“We also resolve to send a high powered delegation of the Ogoni leadership to urgently meet with the government to seek their necessary support to drive the peace process, and in particular, with a view to setting up a Special Task Force to track down and appropriately deal with any person that further engages in such nefarious activities.
“We further resolve to convene a meeting with all youth leaders and youth groups to get their buy in and perspectives and thereafter another Congress in no distant future to reappraise the situation as well as addressing other issues affecting our people.”
The cultists were given 14 days to surrender and further directed to submit themselves to traditional oaths taking in their respective communities within the period.
Those who signed the communiqué were His Majesty, King G.N.K. Gininwa, Senator (Dr) Bennett Birabi, Chief Kenneth Kobani, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, Ledum mitee, HRH, Godwin Bebe Okpabi, Rt. Rev (Dr) Solomon S. Gberegbara, Rear Admiral J.N. Bakpo (Rtd), Chief Priscilla Vikue and Dr. Peter Medee.
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