The Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, said his administration was single-minded about routing out crime and criminality in the state to ensure the safety of citizens.
Otti stated this on Tuesday in Umuahia, the state capital, while declaring open a one-day sensitisation campaign against cultism and drug addiction in Nigeria organised by the Abia State Orientation Agency.
The governor said, “No amount of alcoholism, drug addiction, or whatever it is that you have consumed will justify any action that you have taken that is against the law. And for us, we are single-minded about routing out crime and criminality and ensuring that our state is safe for our citizens and our visitors.”
He said the campaign was important as there was a need to educate everyone about the implications of cultism and drug addiction.
“I believe this sensitisation campaign is absolutely in order. We want to educate you and expose you to the implications of some of these actions that lead to other actions that would lead us to a reaction that you may not like.
“We have people today pulling themselves together and inflicting injury, hurt, hatred and even killing fellow human beings. There is never any time you can justify it. Armed robbery, kidnapping, abductions, violent crimes, and banditry have been related and associated very closely with cultism and drug addiction,” he added
Otti advised the participants to take it seriously to impact others, the dangers of cultism, and drug addiction.
In his goodwill message, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, represented by DCP Sani Shuaibu, described the campaign as timely and commendable.
He assured stakeholders that the police were ready to synergise with other sister agencies and the Abia State Government to fight the menace of cultism and drug addiction.
Earlier in his address, the Director General, Abia State Orientation Agency, Pastor Dike Nwankwo, highlighted the dangers associated with cultism and drug addiction and maintained that the campaign would bring about a cross-fertilisation of ideas and proffer solutions to the menace of cultism and drug addiction.
Delivering a keynote lecture on the topic, “Building a New Abia Through a Responsible Citizenship” the Vice Chancellor, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Prof. Maduebibisi Iwe, identified the challenges confronting youths, including unemployment, inadequate revenue generation, and weak industrial base.
He stressed the need for responsible citizenship by all, especially the youth, and emphasised that everyone has to be a responsible citizen.
