[b]SOUTH-EAST REPORT
Cult boys hold Enugu community hostage
From PETRUS OBI, Enugu
Wednesday, April 21, 2010


•Ngwu
Photo: Sun News Publishing
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Jude Ngwu, a student of Public Administration in the Institute of Management Technology (IMT) Enugu recently received a baptism of fire from his kinsmen who have reportedly turned the Amaeke Ngwo community into a campus of sort; intimidating, maiming and harassing innocent villagers in the name of cultism.

Ngwu, a part time worker with the Nigerian Breweries, Enugu was preparing for an internal exam in the Brewery when his friend pleaded with him to help wait for some of his friends who were coming from Lagos.

“So, on that fateful day I went with the same friend to the 9th Mile Corner to wait for his friends that were coming from Lagos; we were there making contacts with them on phone, trying to direct him. Suddenly, somebody came and tapped me on the shoulder and said he wanted to speak with me; I asked him to go ahead and say what he wanted to say, but he said no, that I shouldn’t be afraid that he knows me very well; he asked if I am not the brother to Charles Agu, saying that there is information he wanted to pass on to me.

“So, I took few steps away from where we were standing; the next thing they requested for was my phone, but I asked him why, and tried to return to where my friends were staying; the next thing they broke a bottle on my head and blood splashed and covered my face; I was still trying to recover when the other guy brought out a machete from his waist and cut my hand.

While the police in Ngwo are still searching for the two assailants who were identified by people around, a Catholic priest who hails from neighbouring Uborji community Rev. Fr. Evans Offor has blamed the leaders and elders of the Amaeke community for the evil being perpetrated by these cultists.

Rev. Offor who is the Parish Priest of Holy Family Catholic Church, Ogbatu in Udi Local Government Area told Daily Sun that there have been incessant cult activities in Ngwo communities, saying that “it has taken long and we are expected to have done something about it, especially the traditional rulers.”

His words: “I expected them long ago to have established structures to tackle these bad boys; they are too many in this place. So, cult activities in Ngwo, especially in this area Amaeke are quite on the rising side, and they have been using dangerous weapons against innocent ones; and that makes me weep for my people.
“They are not attacking their opponents, but here it is innocent young men who are enterprising and the problem now is the problem of leadership in this community; and from the grapevine I hear that some of the leaders are using these boys for personal and selfish purposes and that is why it is on the increase.

“So, I am using this opportunity to call these leaders to order and also to invite the security agents in this state to come to Amaeke Ngwo and do something. This is the haven for cult activities; the citadel of it. In my own community, Uborji we have done our best to ensure that these boys don’t harm anybody because they are rascals; cult boys are from hell and they can do anything to maim people.

“Like this very one now they almost cut-off one of the arms; so let the community leaders set up a vigilante that will take care of these boys. Edmund Burke said that evil thrive in society because good one keep quite; I don’t know why opinion leaders from this community should keep quiet and their children will become devils from hell; threatening, rampaging maiming and killing; they even use a local masquerade called Odo to rape women and girls and also cause harm to people. It is high time they came together to do something; we call on the police to beam the searchlight on Amaeke Ngwo.”

The traditional ruler of Amaeke Ngwo, Igwe Jerome Okolo who spoke on phone after several attempts to reach him failed, condemned the recent attack on Jude Ngwu, pointing out that he has been speaking against the activities of cultists in his community.

His words: “I have always been against any sort of brutality and attack on innocent people and I want to assure you that we shall make sure that we put a stop to the activities of these cultists.”
Former chairman of the Amaeka Town Union, Mr Peter Ozioke agreed that the activities of cultists was on the rise in the entire communities of Ngwo Uno and assured that it will be top on the agenda of their next community meeting.
On allegations that Amaeke has been notorious on cult related incidents, the former chairman said, “I will not use the word notorious; it’s been on the increase like any other community in our Ngwo Uno.”
He, however, noted that all the atrocities were being perpetrated by a handful of boys and assured that the community leaders were out to put a stop to it.[/b]






http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/apr/21/national-21-04-2010-005.htm