Juliana Francis
A teenage boy, Ayo (19), who is presently crying his eyes out in police custody, has urged other youths to do everything possible to avoid a life of crime, especially cultism.
According to him, cultists usually lure innocent youths into their deadly operations and practices with threats, promises, deceit and lies.
He said: “There’s no gain in cultism. I regret being a member of the Aiye cult group. Those that forced me to join cultism, made so many promises to me, but all the promises were lies. Since the police arrested me, not one member of our cult group, under any guise, has visited me. I’m left to my fate. My parents are ashamed of me. I plead with youths to please shun cultism. If I should regain my freedom, I would relocate to my village immediately and practice my trade there. I have ruined my future with the group that I joined. I’m finished. My future is gone! I don’t know if I will ever leave the police custody.”
Ayo, who was arrested at the weekend, confessed to being a member of the Aiye Confraternity. Police recovered a sword from him after his arrest.
Ayo continued his narration: “Police arrested me at Oworoshoki area of the Third Mainland Bridge. We went for a meeting at Obalende; after the meeting, we headed to Oworoshoki, to have another meeting. We were at the Oworoshoki meeting when police stormed the place and attempted to arrest us.”
Ayo’s colleagues bolted, but he was not so lucky. He was arrested. When police asked him the use of the sword recovered from him, he said it was for self-defence.
Ayo said: “I’m a professional vulcanizer. I was initiated into the Aiye cult group in Ikorodu area of the state by repeatedly refusing to become join their cult group. I later joined, and now I have been arrested.”
First Published 2019
