The Edo state governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has decried the rising incidents of homicide linked to cult-related activities in the State, declaring that “it is the biggest challenge we have.”

He noted that the government and security agencies in the state are working assiduously to check violent crimes and tackle cultism.

The governor who disclosed this after the maiden Security Council Meeting for 2024, held with security chiefs in the State, said 135 people had been killed arising from mostly cult-related activities and community clashes.

According to him, “the Council reviewed data on crime from July to December 2023. Homicide recorded the highest numbers of incidents which can be linked to cult-rated activities.

“From the month of December alone, out of the 83 incidents reported, 24 are related to homicide. 

“For the last six months in 2023, for instance, out of 500 incidents reported, 135 had to do with homicide, and we lost 135 people from mostly cult-related activities and community clashes.

“This (homicide) is an issue of concern to the State and the Council took a decision to delve deeper into the data to understand the specific situation and reasons driving this high level of homicide in the state.”

Continuing, the governor noted that the Security Council mandated the Commissioner of Public Safety, Kingsley Uwagbale to work with security agencies to tackle cultism in the State.

He said: “cultism will be addressed from two distinct approaches which include ensuring diligent investigation, prosecution of cult related crimes and ensuring high publicity to the crime through the prosecution process.

“And, we will also get to the root cause of this high incidence of cultism, while the commissioner for Public Safety, working with security agencies and institutions of higher learning, will be carrying out some activities including sensitization at different public fora.”