ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
Wife of the Governor Bayelsa State, Dr. Gloria Diri, on Thursday, led key stakeholders in the civil society organisations on a campaign against ritual killings and cult activities in some parts of the state.
The rights groups called on security agencies to step up security of the girl-child and women in the state.
The advocacy campaign started around 8am with an estimated 12 kilometre road walk to publicly declare ‘No to Ritual Killings’ in the state.
Various groups and stakeholders under the umbrella of the Bayelsa State Gender Response Initiative Team (GRIT), noted that though few cases of ritual killings had so far been detected in the state, they would no longer condone the mysterious killing of young girls.
Among the notable stakeholders that participated in the walk against ritual killings were the Coordinator, Committee for Democracy and Environmental Dividends (CODED), Mr. Keme Opia, wife of the Chairman of the State Traditional Rulers Council, Queen Josephine Diete-Spiff, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Women Wing of Christian Association of Nigeria and Chairman of the State Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Samuel Numonengi.
Others are Gloria Diri Foundation (GDF), DO Foundation, Child Protection Network, Ethanrose Foundation, National Council of Women Society, Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN), Starz Safety Initiative, among others.
The coalition was armed with placards with inscription such as, ‘Save the Girl-child from Ritual Killings’, ‘Together We Can’, ‘Join GRIT to Stop Senseless Killings’, ‘Bayelsa Is Peaceful Not For Harvesting Human Parts’, ‘Our Girls, Our Pride’, among others.
Speaking after the long walk, Bayelsa State First Lady, Gloria Diri, expressed concern over the strange cases recorded and the alleged participation of boys in aborted cases in the state.
She said the land of Bayelsa rejected such dastardly acts and that by the peace walk, the stakeholders in the state rejected such acts.
She stated: “The youths and women of Bayelsa reject the dastardly acts. I urge everyone to be their brothers’ keeper. If they try it in other states, Bayelsa will not condone it any longer.
“We call on the mothers and the menfolk to protect the girl-child against such evil acts. For everyone that enters the state, the gods of the lands and the security agents are watching. Let us watch and protect one another against ritual killings. For those caught in the act, we will ensure that the law take its course.
“We are also now against out-of-court settlements and we want the law to punish the perpetrators. Ritual killing is a distraction because if a child goes missing, government will abandon what they are doing and go in search of the missing child.”
Also speaking, Queen of Twon-Brass Kingdom, Dame Josephine Diette-Spiff, noted that the killing of the promising girl child underscored the dangers facing girls and women in the society.
“Our queens and mothers of the kingdoms in the state stand collectively against killings, disrespect for life and abuse of women and girls in the society,” she stated.
In her speech, Chairperson, GRIT, Barrister Dise Ogbise, pointed out that with the peace walk against ritual killings, the government had once again made history by bringing together key actors in its fight against ritual killings and cult activities in the state.
“The state government has once again reiterated its resolve to end all forms of violence in the state as perpetrators of ritual killing and cult groups will be prosecuted,” Ogbise affirmed.