The Anambra State House of Assembly on Wednesday called on Gov. Willie Obiano of the state to direct the Commissioner of Police, Mr John Abang, to intensify efforts in checkmating the upsurge of cult war in the state.
The resolution followed a motion raised under Matters of Urgent Public Importance by Mr Timothy Ifedioranma (Njikoka l), who noted that cult activities in the state was affecting the peace and security of the state.
Ifedioranma said the gang war among rival cult groups in the state had made life unbearable for residents, noting it had led to several deaths.
“Cult activities serve as bedrock to very heinous crimes and social vices such as kidnapping, murder, rape, drug abuse, armed robbery and other crimes.
“A huge number of our youths have lost their lives due to their involvement in cult activities, while valuables and properties have been damaged and destroyed.
“Most of the time, innocent people get killed or injured during these cult wars. It is a threat to the progress already made in the state. So, this matter should be seen as an emergency situation,” he said.
In his response, the Speaker, Mr Uche Okafor, said that Ifedioranma’s call was straight forward as regards the violence and killings by cult groups.
Okafor said: “It is a sensitive national issue but we are more concerned with the increasing rate of cult activities in Anambra because one way or the other, we are victims.
“It is therefore, not out of place to call on the Commissioner of Police to arrest the situation and make the state safe for everyone.
The House, after the speaker conducted voice vote on the motion, passed it as the resolution of the House.
Okafor directed the Clerk of the House, Mr Pius Udo, to write the Commissioner of Police to curtail the activities of cult members.
Meanwhile, a bill to establish the Anambra Information and Communication Technology Agency 2018, was also read a second time on the floor of the House
Opening the debate on the bill, the Majority Leader of the House, Dr Nnamdi Okafor, said that establishing such an agency was important, especially at a time when the world had gone digital.
The bill was committed to the House Committee on Information and Communication for further deliberation.
The committee is to report back in two week. (NAN)
