Cult groups exhibiting terrorist traits, community reports to FG

Indigenes of Midim Atan and neighbouring communities in Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, who escaped attacks from a cult group, has alerted the Federal Government of growing terror activities of the group in the state.

A statement by the communities’ president, Victor Udom and the Public Relations Officer, Ubong Udoh, on Sunday, said the security agencies had confirmed a growing network of Akwa Marine Cult group in neighbouring Abia and Rivers States as their activities continue to grow.

According to them, the group, which emerged in the 2011 election year, have caused untold hardship, fear, deaths and destruction on the once peaceful community.

Udom listed the atrocities the group had committed in 2017 to include robbery, murder, attacks on community markets, and other criminal activities.

He explained that the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Services, and other security and government agencies lack the will to tackle the menace in the area, and called for an overhaul of the security arrangement in the state.

“The continued inability to secure the attention of the security agencies through the many petitions already submitted has encouraged escalated threat levels and increase in physical and psychological torture to the victims and the entire community up to and including the murder of many citizens of the community in the hands of the cultists who are still allowed to roam freely in the community working with a syndicated group.

“If you talk about the presence of security agencies, we have a police formation in Essien Udim, and we have an Area Command Headquarters in Ikot Ekpene, which is not up to five or 10 kilometres from Midim,” he said.

Udom who had also been attacked but escaped being killed said highly placed individuals in the state were behind the cult group.

“My brother and others are no longer in the community. Even the chief of the community and everybody is on exile. Since I ran away on December 12, this is the only shirt I have on me. I did not pick anything from my house,” he said.