Edward Cobham, Calabar

  The Cross River State Director of State Security Services (DSS) Fubara Duke says cult related activities is fast spreading from the campuses of tertiary institutions to the larger society. 

 “In the past couple of months, we have clear pictures of three or four groups that are responsible for these kinds of issues. We have arrested some of them and taken them to court and in the next couple of months, the case of cultism will be history. We are battling cultism, which is a major problem. Unlike before when the practice was most predominate in the University, but it is now in almost all the corners  of the street, they are no more students, we now had all manners of people including corporate bodies and we are try to neutralize them” he said.

 He also revealed that the directorate has charged five suspected criminals in the state to courts. Addressing journalists in his office Thursday, Duke noted that one or two others are undergoing interrogations and would soon be charge to court.

 “We have security challenges in the state, it can be subsumed that we have issues bordering on militancy, cultism, kidnapping, land and boundary issues, issues relating to bloodletting and inter communal disputes and minor  clashes that involves farmers and herdsmen”

  On the areas of militancy which the state witnessed some months ago, Duke said, “The past few months have been relatively peaceful and the major militancy group, Bakassi Task Force have been relatively calm because the command have been able to curtail their activities, we have engaged them and curtailed their accesses”.

  “Essentially, these groups of people have been involved in all manners of criminal activities, kidnapping of some Larfage staff couple of months ago were attributed to them and as you know, very huge amount of ransom estimated at N150m exchange hands before those people were released. The water ways are not save, our local fishermen and sea fairer that do business in the water were regular victims of these people but all have changed”.

  Consequently, on kidnapping, the Director lamented the activities of militants and cultist, “Our state is heavily being immersed  with cult related activities. Local communities are not spared and most of our communities are seriously affected and are victims. Robberies and kidnapping are attributed to these people”

  Sadly, on the issues of violence emanating from of chieftaincy, land and boundaries that has taken a very heavy tolls on lives and properties, the director explained, “We had a meeting with few of these communities but before they get home there is another clash but we are engaging them to let them appreciate peace. Progress is low but we shall get there”.

  Responding to questions regarding the invitation of Apostle Johnson Suleman Duke said, “As part of our engagement strategies, we had regular meeting with leaders of religious bodies and leaders of traditional institutions and when we see people that go out of their ways to make statement that was not in conformity with the objective of stabilising the state or country at large we have a duty to call him to order and that was what we did in calling Apostle Johnson Suleman.

 “Though, he said his church was targeted for attack by herdsmen and he himself was targeted to be killed and he made comment that anybody that come your way kill him and such language was not good as leaders who command thousands of people. It took him over eight hours to arrive our office and about two hours, he was released”.