Midim community in Essien Udim local government area of Akwa Ibom state has raised the alarm over alleged resurrection of a dreaded gang called Akwa Marine Cult.
The community disclosed that the dreaded cult group, which it had singlehandedly teamed some years ago was now being tactically brought back by some political actors in preparation for 2023 elections.
A right activist, Mr Victor Udom, who spoke on behalf of the community over the weekend in Uyo, hinted that indigenes of the area who were suppressing the clandestine activities of the gang were now framed up as being members of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network (ESN).
Udom said some persons given their connections in government have hijacked the move of sanitising the state from IPOB/ESN’s infiltration by working hard to eliminate those who were opposed to Akwa Marine Cult through wrong information to security agencies.
“Thanks to God that without the help of government we have brought the gangs to their knees in our community as evident in the many repentant members that have turned out to seek pardon from the community, an exercise that is still in process till date. Midim Community started this war for peace since 2015 when all levers of governance were still in deep slumber.
“We are therefore very displeased that despite our efforts, we are being targeted with some mischievous blackmail as IPOB/ESN secession agitation sympathizers to intimidate us in our continuous engagements against the politically motivated cult gangs that invaded our communities. This is nothing than a ploy by our politicians to reposition criminal formations in preparation for 2023 upcoming elections.
“The ongoing diversionary tactics is counter productive. We must have the courage and the political will to see the truth, tell ourselves the truth and use the truth to fight criminality and injustice. Our community is today blackmailed and given an IPOB colouration when that is not true. Akwa Ibom would not have had the security challenges it has witnessed recently if government had stopped playing politics with cultism, insecurity and public safety.
“The ongoing politics of framing up and instigating trump up charges on innocent youths of the Community aimed at putting them out of circulation ahead of 2023 is one hypocrisy of the state government disguised as a security strategy that should worry any patriotic person who wish to see the state remain peaceful and prosperous. As a state, we would not have gotten to this sorry state if the government showed or exhibited sincerity of purpose in its war against criminality and cultism in the state.
“Unfortunately a number of the community Stakeholders are now either in detention or on the run due to a biased and unbalanced information and security manipulation by selfish politicians who have seized the laudable security initiative of the government in the drive to sanitise the state of hoodlums and IPOB/ESN secession agitators,” he said.
Udom alleged that the state government’s disposition on partisan consideration by condoning and protecting both criminals and known suspects was fuelling the worsening security situation in Essien Udim
“The AKSG must be sincere to also admit that its disposition that tends to create the impression that it condones crime, criminals and protect known suspects due to partisan considerations have also helped worsened the security situation especially in Essien Udim.
“For instance, in the course of the many court cases against these criminal elements terrorizing Midim community and Essien Udim, CTC of a security report from the DSS that had named these cultists, criminal gangs and their sponsors was made known to government, but for political expediency, the AKSG saw no evil, said no evil and did nothing about these security report.
“Infact, over 80 percent of those named by the DSS report as being cultists, sponsors and major financiers of various cult groups in Akwa Ibom State are today serving as either elected or appointed officials of the AKSG. Can anyone with conscience fault our claim that the government and government alone is to be blamed for the security crisis we face today in Essien Udim?”
