The Delta State Police Command has debunked a viral video alleging that secondary school students were being initiated into cultism in a school around 74 area in Asaba.
The Delta State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Bright Edafe explained that the Command, having examined the video clip and carried out an investigation, wished to debunk the narrative.
It was gathered on receipt of the video clip, the commissioner of Police, CP Wale Abass, immediately directed the Area Commander Asaba, ACP Sunday Oladipo and the Command PPRO, DSP Edafe Bright, to proceed to the school for an on-the-spot investigation.
Edafe said: “On arrival at the school premises, the school pupils, teacher, and one of the parents were interrogated. A mother to one of the affected children stated that her children said it was a game in the school tagged ‘snake bite’ and nothing more to it.”
The PPRO probed further to ascertain the claim and interviewed the school pupil, which led to an interesting discovery.
One nine years old Uche surname unknown told his younger brother, known Emeka, surname unknown aged six years old about the game called ‘snake bite’ and the younger brother obliged.
When the said Uche was asked how it was done, he said it’s a piece of paper that is used to do it.
The PPRO then asked if it could be done on him, and the child accepted. The PPRO offered his hands, and the child used a small white paper to rub the back of his palm, which gave rise to the exact mark on the same spot that is being wrongly portrayed as cult initiation.
It became clear that it is a harmless trend among school children and not a cult initiation process as it was wrongly portrayed by the said activist.
Edafe said: “The command therefore urges parents to be calm and ignore the false claim making the rounds, also, it is noteworthy that any right-thinking person who noticed such a trend ordinarily will go into proper investigation and also inform the police to investigate before posting on social media. It is again advised that the false publication should not be taken seriously.”
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