3,000 Rivers cultists surrender arms to cleric

No fewer than 3,000 youths from Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State on Saturday submitted their arms to a renowned cleric in the area, Reverend Father Abel Abulu.

The youths denounced cultism and also surrendered different kinds of guns after the cleric’s message and efforts by Gokana Peace Ambassadors towards restoring peace to the area, ThePunch reports.

 The cultists had on two occasions refused to submit their arms to the committee in charge of the amnesty programme, feigning that they did not have guns.

 It was gathered that their acceptance to the plea to repent was achieved through the intervention of Gokana Peace Ambassadors and the clergymen in the area, who went into the creeks to preach peace to the cultists.

 One of the repentant cultists, who spoke to newsmen, Denbesi Isaac, said they decided to lay down their arms because they were tired of hiding.

 Isaac called on the state government to join efforts with the Christian community and the Gokana Peace Ambassadors to ensure adequate empowerment for the repentant cultists.

 He noted that if the boys were integrated into the state amnesty programme, it would stop them from going back to their former lives.

Isaac assured that he and his group would never return to their former lives of cultism for the sake of peace and development.