About 40 youths linked to cult groups in Abini Community, Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State, have renounced their membership and pledged to embrace peaceful and law-abiding lives.
The youths, associated with the Vikings, Klans and Axemen groups, made the commitment on August 26, 2026, during a sensitisation and engagement programme organised by the Cross River State Police Command in collaboration with the Abini Elites Association and LauraHope Foundation.
The development was confirmed by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, in a statement issued on Wednesday.
Eitokpah described the development as a significant breakthrough in the command’s community-based approach to preventing crime.
He said the initiative was being implemented under the leadership of the Commissioner of Police, CP Ajo-Geoffrey Ordue.
According to him, the engagement was designed to expose young people to the dangers associated with cultism, drug abuse, unlawful possession of firearms and other social vices.
Representing the Commissioner at the programme, the Divisional Police Officer of Yakurr Division, CSP Innocent Ayabotu, urged the youths to reject criminal activities and contribute positively to the development of their community.
“Our engagement is focused on the dangers of cultism, drug abuse, unlawful possession of firearms and other social vices,” he said.
Ayabotu also urged the youths to become agents of peace rather than allow themselves to be recruited into criminal networks.
The police command said the engagement formed part of its broader crime-prevention and intelligence-gathering strategy.
It added that community-oriented interventions remained important in addressing the factors that encourage young people to join criminal groups.
Ordue commended the traditional rulers, Abini Elites Association, LauraHope Foundation and members of the community for supporting the initiative.
He stressed that sustainable security could not be achieved through enforcement alone, but required cooperation between security agencies and local communities.
“We will continue to combine intelligence-led enforcement with preventive interventions, strategic community engagement and partnership-driven policies to sensitise our youths to reject cultism,” Ordue said.
The Commissioner further urged the youths to remain committed to their decision and use their influence to promote peace and development.
The cultists renounce membership initiative, according to the command, underscores the importance of combining security operations with community engagement in tackling youth involvement in criminal activities.
The police urged other stakeholders and community leaders to sustain similar interventions aimed at preventing cultism and promoting peaceful coexistence across Cross River State.
