Masaka residents decry rise in cultism, robbery

Some residents of Masaka and its environs in Nasarawa State have expressed worry over the increase in activities of cultists in the area, saying they now live in fear. The residents who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said the hoodlums had moved from cultism to armed robbery. They said they were disturbed […]

Some residents of Masaka and its environs in Nasarawa State have expressed worry over the increase in activities of cultists in the area, saying they now live in fear.

The residents who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said the hoodlums had moved from cultism to armed robbery.

They said they were disturbed about the situation because police in the area had not been living up to expectation in curtailing the menace.

They, therefore, called on government to take steps to secure lives and property in Masaka.

Mr Gabriel Ogabu, a civil servant, said in the last nine years he had lived in the area there had been steady increase in cult activities.

He added that shop owners in the area usually got notices from the cultists on their impending attacks, a situation that usually made them to close down business.

“Since I moved to Masaka, almost nine years now, I have experienced several incidents of cultism which have had negative effects on the residents and innocent people.

“We have not had peace of mind in this environment because of the incident that occurred last week, Friday, which took the life of a man who never knew what was going on.

“It was a clash between two rival cult groups who vandalised things in the streets and forcing people to run into their houses. In the process the innocent man was shot by them.

“Those that have shops around closed before the closing hour and those who love their lives remained indoors.

“Security agencies are not helping matters as these boys come out and threaten the whole community and they do nothing about it.”

According to him, security of the residents now solely depended on individual effort.

Another resident, Mr. Ikyav Emmanuel, said the area had suffered from the menace for the past two years since he moved in.

Emmanuel said clashes by cult groups in the area had gradually graduated to robbery.

“We have experienced these cult activities for the past two years now. It used to be clashes because of the various cult groups around. But recently, it has turned into armed robbery.

“What we know about cultism is that they attack rival cult groups, but what we are seeing now is beyond cultism. I believe it is the cult guys that are doing all these.

“They raid shops. Most of the businesses in this area take place from 08:00am to 09:00pm and that’s the time these boys come out. Shop owners are always scared to open their shops.

“The security agencies are doing nothing about it. When these boys come out and you run to the police station, they give you excuses,” he said.

According to him, such excuses ranged from not having fuel in the vehicle to claim that the patrol team in charge of such case had gone out.

“They leave residents at the mercy of these boys,” Emmanuel lamented.

Another resident, Mrs. Grace Okoli, said she had to close her shop last month after her neighbour was shot dead during a robbery attack.

Mrs. Okoli said the cult members were aged between 15 and 25 judging by their facial appearances.

She added that the residents had resorted to the services of vigilante groups since the police were not ready to offer assistance after several complaints to them.