The Ogun State Government has created a special court to try cult-related cases in the state.
The state Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu disclosed this on Tuesday, during a security summit, organised by the state chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Students and the National Association of Ogun State Students.
Alamutu, who hailed the move said that this determined step would not only help in reducing the burden on regular courts but also help security agencies in the fight against the menace of cultism in the state.
The event held at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, with the theme: “Economic/Political Approach In Combating Insecurity”, also witnessed the inauguration of the new executive members of NANS and NAOSS in the state.
Alamutu, represented by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Haruna Adams described cultism as the root of all other crimes in the state.
“In Ogun state, we have our own issue of insecurity like other states. Here in Ogun state, the issue we are facing is cultism. Cultism is the root of every crime in this state, it is the root of armed robbery and this issue of cultism is disturbing us seriously. These cultists graduate from cultism to armed robbery and other crimes.
“If we arrest any armed robber, most of them are graduates and if you interrogate them, they always say they started from cultism. We are working to make sure that we reduce this menace in our society.
“Today in Ogun state, the government has come up with a court that will deal with cultism issues. No case will be taken to that court apart from cultism cases. The creation of this court will help us a lot to reduce issues of cultism in this state.
“We also have the issue of highway robbery, but what the command is doing is to deploy a lot of patrol teams to our boundaries with Lagos state and our boundaries with other states. This has reduced the rampant cases of armed robbery along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway,” Alamutu said.
In his remark, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Student Matters, Azeez Adeyemi urged security agencies to partner with students and other relevant stakeholders in combating insecurity in the state.
Adeyemi said, “The economic well-being of the people is a significant determinant of the larger security in the society. An economically engaged and self-sufficient human is less vulnerable to take options in criminal acts. Qualitatively educated citizens, particularly agile youths are usually intelligent enough to interact with their society more productively than dangerously.
“Well-trained young people are in fact very crucial in developing an economy to become more progressive as well as contributing to combatting security with innovative ideas and technology. However, all of these economic solutions to security could be an end but they are not the means by themselves.
“Providing a suitable environment for economic wellbeing, providing qualitative education and training, improving the economic prosperity of the nation among other things are all dependent on the opinions and suggestions of stakeholders and the final decisions of policy makers.”
Over the years, the state has witnessed several cult clashes leading to the deaths of innocent citizens and the destruction of properties across the state.
In April, one Azeez Olaitan was reportedly killed by suspected members of the Aiye Confraternity in the Alogi area of Odeda Local Government Area of the state during a cult clash.
