Delta orders clampdown on cultists in schools



Delta state government on Thursday ordered massive clampdown on cultism and cult related activities in schools across the state.

The state Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu at a news conference in Asaba, said the directive became necessary following rising cases of cult related activities in secondary and primary schools in the state.

He said the state Ministry of Education and relevant supervisory and regulatory authorities have been directed to ensure proper supervision of all schools to nip it in the bud.

According to him, a number of persons particularly the civil societies have emphasised the need for parents to up their game and for the society to have a rethink in the management of our youths and young ones.

“But unfortunately there are also a number of elders, parents who obviously have not also lived up to their bidding with respect to monitoring the behaviour and attitude of their children.

“As a government we have directed that teachers must step up their supervisory roles. Teachers are not only to impact knowledge by way of teaching the pupils or the students whatever is in the curricular.

“They must also encourage these students to participate in extracurricular activities like games that will promote camaraderie among students and pupils,”

“We have directed that the Ministry of Education particularly the departments responsible for the supervision of schools be it private or public to also intensify efforts,” he said.

The information commissioner said schools must deal decisively with devious behavior among students to bring law and order in our schools.

He further remarked that any school where such activities takes place risks being closed down by the government.

“If there is any child behaving in a manner that is not expected of him particularly in the primary and secondary schools, we have emphasised that beyond the need to sensitise, drastic actions need to be taken.

“If any school is found to have wards in cult and nothing is being done about it, government will come down heavily on such schools.

“If you have children in your school and you are looking at them critically you will understand their behaviour and not knowing that they belong to some groups will amount to negligence.

“If you have children who gang up to beat up a teacher you must look beyond the immediate cause of that attack on that teacher to interrogate what must have emboldened them to work as a group to attack a teacher.

“You must also take actions that will make the parents know that they too have not done well.”