29th April, 2024
By Joy Mbachi
A lawmaker in Anambra House of Assembly, Henry Mbachu has lamented that at least 34 people have been gunned down in cult-related killings in Awka, the state capital and its environs in less than one month.
Mbachu, representing Awka South I in the Anambra House of Assembly, said the killings were carried out from Easter Sunday till date.
He said that the action is worrisome and disclosed that he plans to hold a security summit within his constituency on May 29 and urged all to be part of the summit.
The lawmaker gave this indication in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka on Monday.
“It looks like these cultists have overwhelmed the state apparatus charged with law enforcement and security services,” he bemoaned..
He appealed to traditional and community leaders, faith-based organisations, and youths in the constituency to take ownership of their lives and kill the cultism menace.
“As your representative in the state assembly, I am pained about the rate of killings in the name of cultism and wish to find a permanent solution.
“We must separate cultism from crime as the presence of many security outfits, the construction of gates in all the villages and business areas have not been able to end the high wave of cult killings,” he said.
Mbachu disclosed that the state legislature has passed the anti-cultism bill which is awaiting ascent of the governor, Prof Charles Soludo.
He added that the crime needs to be discussed at a round table where “we will all brainstorm to proffer solutions that will be submitted to the government.
“The summit will throw up suggestions that will help in ending cult killings.
In a swift reaction, the Anambra police command spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said that the police have been been doing their best to end cultism in the state.
The committed effort of the police command, under the watch of Commissioner of Police (CP) Aderemi Adeoye, has helped to reduce the rate of killings in Anambra.
He said that the command would always partner any body fighting insecurity following its determination to flush out criminality in the state. (NAN)