A protest was staged on Wednesday in Sagamu, Ogun State, by some youths over rising cult-related killings in the community.
More than 24 people have been killed in renewed rival cult clashes across the state in the last three months.
The lingering cult clashes occurred both during the day and at night, with the hoodlums turning Abeokuta, the state capital, and Sagamu, into battlegrounds.
Last week, about 10 young men were reportedly killed in different parts of Sagamu. Governor Dapo Abiodun during his visit to the area admitted that Sagamu “has been notorious for cultism.”
Miffed by the development, some youths on Wednesday stormed the streets of Sagamu, demanding an end to the menace.
The concerned youths, wielding placards with different inscriptions, sang solidarity songs to express their displeasure over the spate of killings in the community.
They also protested against the alleged extortion of residents by the electricity company and the lack of job opportunities for youths in the community.
Some of the inscriptions on their placards read “Stop the killings, we are brothers, let’s embrace peace, our mumu don do,” “Youths are leaders of today, don’t jeopardize your life” and “Concerns Sagamu stakeholders say no to cultism, no to violence, no drug abuse, no to unemployment.”
Addressing newsmen, the leader of the group, Kayode Segun-Okeowo said the cult war had claimed many lives and affected the socio-economic activities of the residents.
Segun-Okeowo urged the government and the traditional institution to immediately wade into the crisis and resolve it.
He said, “It is disheartening that Sagamu has become a centre field for cult-related activities and killings.
“Many stakeholders and community leaders have come up with different ideas, scopes and way forward to end this menace but it’s very unfortunate to state that all efforts on the sensitization, peace and reconciliation processes have proven abortive and seems as if there is no solution to this menace.
“The rise in cult killings in Sagamu has come to a peak of communal shame for Sagamu at the comity of towns and cities in Nigeria. Therefore, at this point, there is an absolute need for every Sagamu son, daughter and resident to rise and raise their voice against every act of cult killing in Sagamu, not minding whose ox is gored! Enough is Enough!
He continued, “Let us all be reminded that Sagamu is a great town blessed with many economic, business and social potentials, but not many of us know that the recent cult killings are enough to disturb, destroy and disrupt the great potential status of Sagamu Town.
“These are the more reasons why government at all levels, security agencies, our Obas, Baales, community leaders, youth leaders and other stakeholders must come together and join forces to battle cult killings and ensure a compulsory peace reconciliation between all the warring groups as it has become necessary. Once again, enough is enough!”
