The Ogun State Police Command has reaffirmed its commitment to assisting all cultists who wish to repudiate their confraternity.
In an exclusive chat with Ogunwatch, the state Police Public relations officer noted that the state’s criminal trend is primarily cultism and that the majority of those participating are uninformed. The command, however, vows to assist those interested in breaking free from the menace.
While explaining that sometimes threat and arrest are not what these youths need, the commands public relations officer, SP Omolola Odutola in an interview with OgunWatch added that the amnesty program which is a soft landing, has benefited quite a few of them.
“ The trend of crime here is mostly cultism and we have young ones from the of ages 15-39 years participating in this. We even got a report some time ago that it has even gotten to secondary schools and universities.
“That is why the commission CP Alamatu Abiodun has matched up his words of integrity together with action. You remember when he came on board, he announced the amnesty program. He knows that some of these young people are ignorant of this and of their acts.
“So he said, I wouldn’t want to punish anybody. I wouldn’t want the policemen going after you, I am a father and I also understand so hear my voice. Come, denounce cultism because I know a lot of them don’t even want to participate in cult-related activities but they don’t even know how to free themselves.
“ Peradventure you don’t want to be in this, come. We don’t just keep threatening people and arresting people, sometimes we also give them a soft landing. So that is why we have the amnesty program, which is even still on till now and we have had a lot of people denouncing cultism” she stressed.
Speaking about numerous initiatives adopted by the command, Sp Odutola disclosed a program called Secure 365 and other radio programs where they inform and educate the general public on why they should shun crime and embrace peace.
