The protest leader, Mr. Gabriel Omofeye said that the demonstration was necessary because the cults operating in the Sapele area are placing the community in great danger since 2009. He also spoke against the alleged plan for the DPP Edema to release three suspected cultist members in detention at Sapele prison, after he was allegedly given the five million naira bribe.
Numerous youth in Delta State descended on the State Ministry of Justice located in the capital Asaba on Thursday. The angry youth staged a massive protest condemning murders, arson, and kidnapping by a cult group identified as White Ladders Cult operating in the Sapele Local Government Area (LGA) of Delta State.
The youth presented a copy of their petition to the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) accusing the Director of Public Prosecution, Mr. H. Edema, of taking five million naira in bribes to protect suspected White Ladders members already in police custody from facing legal charges. They also claim that White Ladder Cult leader, Sunday Okoro, paid the bribe to Mr. Edema to release the cult members.
The protesting youth also called upon the Nigeria Police Force and local Sapele politicians to investigate and arrest cult members.
The protest leader, Mr. Gabriel Omofeye said that the demonstration was necessary because the cults operating in the Sapele area are placing the community in great danger since 2009. He also spoke against the alleged plan for the DPP Edema to release three suspected cultist members in detention at Sapele prison, after he was allegedly given the five million naira bribe.
White Ladder Cult leader Mr. Okoro is also being shielded by powerful politicians in the Sapele area, according to protesters. Mr. Omofeye told SaharaReporters that "the Sapele [Divisional Police Officer] is on Sunday Okoro's monthly payroll and that is why police from Sapele look other way while Okoro and his cult members always have a field day. We heard that some of us are on his blacklist and by the time he frees his boys he will come after us.”
Meanwhile, addressing the protesters at the State Ministry of Justice in Asaba, an official from the Department of Public Prosecution, standing in for the Director of Public Prosecution, stated that the allegation that the DPP was given a bribe of five million naira to shield arrested suspected cultist was untrue, unfounded, and should be disregarded.
The Spokesman, Mr. Champion Umukoro, however thanked the youths for conducting themselves in a peaceful manner and assured them that their petition and all allegations will be critically looked into.