Repentant Cultists Still Engaged In Criminality In Rivers, Investigation Reveals
Despite acceptance of amnesty offered by the Rivers State Government on October, 2016 there are indications that some of the cultists who claimed to have repented then, are still engaged in criminality.
Some forms of declaration of one Justice Amadi, alias Italian and his gang wanted by Rivers State Police Command for crimes bothering on kidnapping and armed robbery may have lent credence to the fact that some repentant criminals are still engaged in criminality.
Investigations by National Network showed that ‘Italian’ was among the cultists who accepted amnesty offer by the Rivers state Government in 2016 and he submitted a large number of arms and ammunition.
However, the Rivers State Police command on November 1, 2019 in a statement by the spokesperson of the command, DSP Nnamdi Omoni declared him wanted for the murder of two Policemen on 1st June 2019 along Elele/Omerelu road, kidnap of one Mrs Chioma Ewor on the same date at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Igwurita, attack on Police mobile personnel on 6th June 2019, along Elele/Omerelu road among other crimes. The Police also promised handsome reward to persons who can give useful information that could lead to the arrest of ‘Italian’ and his gang members.
Checks by National Network showed that one Christain Kenjika Alias ‘School Boy’ a resident of Ubima in Ikwerre local Government who was among cultists that accepted the amnesty offer in 2016 was killed on 6th December,2018 in Ubima town by Soldiers when and his gang attacked a military convoy. The spokesperson of 6 Division Nigerian Army, Colonel Aminu Illayasu had in a statement released on December 8,2018 explained that ‘School Boy’ was killed by 340 regiment artillery in Elele when the cult leader and his gang attacked a military convey at Ubima but his corpse was beheaded by rival cultists as the Soldiers left his dead body and rushed their personnel who sustained gunshot injury to hospital.
The Chairman of Ikwerre local Government area of Rivers State, Samuel Wanosiske had on October 11,2019 declared one Oscar Welle, a native of Ubima community wanted for crimes bothering on kidnapping. The KELGA Boss placed a two million naira bounty on the wanted suspect. Checks by this publication also indicate that the wanted Oscar Welle accepted amnesty offer in 2016.
Also on 1st January 2018, ,Prince Igwe Dibia alias Don Wayne, a notorious cult leader was blamed for the killing of over twelve persons in Omoku in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local Government area of Rivers State. ‘Don Wayne’ submitted the highest number of arms and ammunition to the Rivers State amnesty committee in 2016.
He was later killed through combined efforts of Department of State Services(DSS) and the Military on January 7,2018 at Enugu State and his corpse was displayed in Port Harcourt headquarters of 6 Division Nigerian Army.
