Indigenes of Ikwerre Local Government Area have deplored the high incidences of cultism and social vices in the local government area of the state, describing it as alarming.
Some residents who stated this in an interview with theportcitynews on Wednesday attributed the situation to the general break down of family values.
They said the abuse of alcohol and drug addiction had escalated cult-related and criminal activities in the area.
They, therefore, advised youths in the area not to give in to being used as instruments of violence and political instability as political activities begin ahead of the 2019 general elections.
They also blamed politicians for not doing enough for youths in the area in terms of skills acquisition and general welfare, adding that idleness has forced some of them into kidnapping other sundry vices.
They said that politicians who used the energy and resourcefulness of youths to win elections, have abandoned them till another election year, saying that the youths will fall for the usual gimmicks of politicians again due to lack of jobs and access to education.
They expressed fear that upcoming elections will unleash the worst and begged the youths to peacefully conduct themselves during the elections, saying that “your lives are more important than the ambition of a desperate politician.”
They said that they endorse the programme (of the campaign against cultism) and affirm their total support. This, they said, is because the rate of cultism and other social vices in Ikwerre is alarming.
“There is a general breakdown in the family and when you have a broken home, social vices are inevitable. So, we need to address the problems from the root because we don’t want any Ikwerre child to die due to cultism again”,
