Ogun gov to clamp down on cultists

Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has vowed to clamp down on suspected cultists in the state while directing security operatives to rid the area of cultists and cult-related activities.

This was contained in a statement made available to journalists on Monday by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Lekan Adeniran.

Abiodun, who bemoaned the loss of lives and properties, stressed that such losses occasioned by the cult clashes were avoidable.

He said, “As a responsible and responsive government, we are very sad with the resurgence of activities of criminal elements under different outlawed groups, raising unnecessary tension in the sleepy town of Sagamu and its environs.

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“Let me categorically state that we are more than determined to put an end quickly to these nefarious activities of these hoodlums and enemies of our people; who are hellbent to truncate the peace of our land. Let these urchins be rest assured that the state will be too hot for them to operate as we are reevaluating the security architecture for greater surveillance and tactical operation.”

The governor also directed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on human and vehicular movement in the affected local government.

“Following recent clashes among rival cult groups in Sagamu, the Ogun State government has announced restriction of movement from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. This is to notify residents of Sagamu and its environs of total restriction of human and vehicular movement as a way of taking firm control of the security architecture of the area and protecting the lives of the people and their property,” he added.

The governor, who noted that security agencies have been directed to rid the area of cultists and cult-related activities, appealed to the residents to cooperate with security agencies by providing useful and adequate information that can help forestall future occurrences.

“The police and sister security agencies have been given a matching order to deal ruthlessly and decisively with those disturbing the peace of the town. The new security approach would be implemented in collaboration with the traditional institution, community and religious leaders, youth groups as well as other critical stakeholders.

“We, therefore, implore the residents of the area to abide strictly by this restriction order and cooperate with security agencies to restore normalcy and bring perpetrators of these dastardly acts to book immediately,” the statement read.

Punch reported that the Sagamu Local Government chairman, Afolabi Odulate, announced a dusk-to-dawn curfew on motorcycle and tricycle movement in the area, stressing that the perpetrators of killings in Sagamu often use motorcycles and tricycles as escape means.