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Edo Government says plans have been concluded to flush out criminal cult groups and \u2018Okaigheles\u2019 (youth leaders) from the state.<\/p>\n

The state government reacted on Sunday to recent attack on soldiers in Okomu community by criminals and cultists.<\/p>\n

Chris Nehikhare, the State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, spoke at the Military Base Hospital in Benin during a visit to wounded soldiers and a police officer who were shot by suspected cultists.<\/p>\n

Recall that two soldiers and a police officer were on June 7 shot in Okomu community in Ovia South West Local Government Area of the state by suspected cultists.<\/p>\n

Nehikhare pledged the Edo Government\u2019s support in footing the bills of the wounded military officers receiving treatment at the Military Base Hospital.<\/p>\n

Nehikhare, who disclosed that Governor Godwin Obaseki frowned at the attack on military personnel, said a taskforce led by the Director of the State Security, DSS, had been set up to combat cult groups in the state.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is not right in any way for the military to be attacked in any community in Edo. A few weeks ago, we were all aware of what happened in our neighbouring Delta, where no fewer than 20 soldiers were killed by some youths.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn Edo, we have a bad case of cultism and what we also call Okaigheles (youth leaders) in Benin and across Edo South Senatorial District.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe data available to us provided to the State Security Council has shown that these people are mostly responsible for the threat to the security in Edo.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is why this group of people were banned and a taskforce set up to neutralise their activities.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

The commissioner said that the governor placed a ban on the Okaigheles but some people told them to ignore the ban.<\/p>\n

According to him, there can only be one government at a time.<\/p>\n

He said it was regrettable that the banned group was emboldened to go into Okomu forest to attack soldiers.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the soldiers is on the bed in critical condition and two soldiers were badly injured.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe gun boat they were in were destroyed and riddled with bullets; this is happening in Edo.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do not want a situation where we will be losing soldiers to civilians or to reckless and dangerous cult groups.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

The commissioner pleaded with leaders in Edo South to rein in their children and the people that they had armed one way or the other.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have come to quickly visit the wounded officers and the Army to assure them that Edo Government will not tolerate this untoward behavior.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t want what happened in Odi community in Bayelsa to happen here in Edo or a repeat of what happened recently in Delta to happen here.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is a serious matter and all Edo people, irrespective of political affiliations, must support the government in this fight against cultism and killings going on.<\/p>\n

\u201cSince January to date, we have lost no fewer than 150 people in cult related violence,\u2019\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n

He commended the Army for being a responsible organisation which did not take the laws into its own hands.<\/p>\n

Attack on soldiers: Edo Govt to begin operation flush out cultists, criminals<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Edo Government says plans have been concluded to flush out criminal cult groups and \u2018Okaigheles\u2019 (youth leaders) from the state.…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":36461,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17404,2867,15,761],"tags":[865,459,1312,1759,2872,1960,512,764,180,918,241,126,762],"class_list":["post-36460","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-attack-on-soldiers","category-edo","category-news","category-top-headlines","tag-attack","tag-begin","tag-criminals","tag-cultists","tag-edo","tag-flush","tag-govt","tag-headlines","tag-news","tag-operation","tag-out","tag-soldiers","tag-top"],"yoast_head":"\n