A total of 40 youths on Sunday in Calabar said they have renounced their membership of various secret cult groups in the area. The repentant youths were mostly students of the University of Calabar and Cross River University of Technology.

NAN reports that the youths, comprising 30 males and 10 females, were encouraged to renounce their cult membership by the Campus Cult Eradication Foundation (CCEF).

The repentant cultists, who belonged to various cult groups such as Pyrate Confraternity, Vikings, Black Axe, Klans, among others, did not surrender any arms at the event. Samuel Ejembi, National Coordinator of the Foundation, said the CCEF was established to eradicate cultism in tertiary institutions and the larger society. Ejembi said the Foundation also had the mandate to rehabilitate and reintegrate the cultists into the society.

“Cultism is a deadly menace that destroys the lives of members directly or indirectly, thereby rendering them hopeless; it is a threat to security of the state. “Cultism encourages robbery, kidnapping, drug peddling and others; scores of people die annually due to cult-related clashes. “These 30 men and 10 women are ready to turn a new leaf because the Foundation has been able to convince them to renounce their membership of cultism,’’ Ejembi said.

The Commissioner of Police in Cross River, Mr Jimoh Ozi-Obeh, represented by the command’s spokesperson, ASP Irene Ugbo, commended the youths for renouncing their membership of the various cult groups. He assured the repentant cultists of adequate police protection and urged them to stay away from cult activities.

Speaking on behalf of the repentant cultists, Mr Ekanem Akan, 28, promised that they would not participate in any cult activities again. Akan pleaded with the police to ensure their protection and safety, saying “our lives are now at risk because we are a threat to our former colleagues.” (NAN)

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