PUWOV DEBUNKS ALLEGED CULT KILLINGS OF MEMBER IN EDO

PUWOV DEBUNKS ALLEGED CULT KILLINGS OF MEMBER IN EDO

By Eben Enasco Kingsley

Edo State Coordinator, Public Works Volunteers( PUWOV), Mukhter Yusuf - Osagie has debunked media report involving alleged killing of its member, an adhoc -staff in a recent cult related issues in the state.

In a statement made available to newsmen in Benin City, the state capital, Osagie said the group has neither adhoc - staff nor any of its members killed.

It would be recalled that palpable fear griped residents of Benin City last week following
unprecedented killings of persons in different parts of the city over what appeared to be renewed clash between rival cult groups.

In a recent publication credited to “The nation newspaper of Monday October 15, 2018 page 5 and captioned “20 killed in Edo Cult clashes” the author of the story noted that “an adhoc staff of the public works volunteers was one of those killed in a ferocious cult clashes living several persons dead and business at low ebb in the state capital”

Similarly, in what seems to be more of a repeated publication captioned, “Benin City Cult Killings Vindicate AAU” of Wednesday October 17, 2018 on page 18, another author extracted a paragraph from the original author of the Wednesday edition of the Nation newspaper, which stated  and I quote” a recent clash between two rival group and an adhoc worker of the Edo state owned public work Volunteers whose identity could not be confirmed was killed at his duty post at a popular third junction in Benin City”

In a recent investigation carried out by The Inquestnews, the victim of the cult killings was revealed as a Bus driver on eye witness account.

 The eyewitness who pleaded on anonymity stated that the deceased plies between popular third junction and Sapele road axis, and was also the Vice Chairman of the terminal bus park.

He further stated that the said victim was not a staff of the Public Work Volunteer

Reacting, the State Coordinator of PUWOV, Mukhter Yusuf - Osagie described the publication as a deliberate effort to tarnish the good work of the group and Governor Godwin Obaseki's in the state.

He added that members are not only intact but working assiduously to ensure free flow of traffic and obstruction on roads in Benin.

Osagie however, urged the people to disregard such news and should not be taken seriously as that could stem unnecessary panic amongst members of the public who have trusted the good job done so far  

Meanwhile the state police command on Tuesday paraded no fewer than 72 suspects over crime related issues involving armed robbery, cultism and kidnapping State commissioner of police, Mr Johnson Kokomo said 58 cult members linked to the recent killings of eight persons in different location in the state were among those paraded