Stop Aiding Cult Gangs, Activist Tells Politicians

Prominent Niger Delta activist and author, Patrick Naagbanton has called on politicians to stop supporting cult gangs and criminal groups in a bid to achieve their selfish interests.
Naagbanton made the call while fielding questions from newsmen shortly after the public presentation of his books ‘Footprints of Nkpoo Sibara, Dele Giwa and Ken Saro-Wiwa’ in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, as part of activities to mark the 23rd anniversary of the Ogoni martyrs.
He recalled that Port Harcourt used to be the centre of literary activities until those he described as desperate politicians started forming criminal gangs, noting that with the right education youths would not be attracted into joining gangs that have wasted many lives.
Naagbanton said, “Politicians should withdraw their support for cult gangs. If they withdraw their support for cult gangs these guys will not have the enablement to acquire arms and to unleash violence.
“Also very importantly the United Nations has warned us and we are part of that convention that governments that are parties to this convention must provide qualitative education for our citizens at the primary level.
“That (education) is the foundation of life. So if we provide qualitative education for our people at the primary and secondary schools it means that you have to increase your budget. You have to monitor how that money is spent in the most transparent way.
“Not the stealing that is happening in the name of governance at all levels, including federal, state and local governments. That is what we are advocating because when young people acquire knowledge they will not go into these criminal activities.
“We must stand up to fight because this is our home. We do not have any other home. Nigeria is our home. If this society eventually collapses where do we run to? We must fight to rescue this society.
“When we talk of the resurgence or upsurge of cult gangs or gangsters on campuses it dates back to the 50’s and 60’s then you ask yourself those of us who were born around those period why is it that we do not belong to any of these gangs?
“It is because our interest is about our collective survival as a people and collective humanity. It is about our progress as a nation because some of us have travelled to other places and seen the way societies and people are making progress,” he stated.
Describing late environmentalist, Ken Saro-Wiwa as a man of many parts, he said himself and others were making conscious efforts to revive that literary life of Port Harcourt; adding that the book presentation was organised to promote the ideals of Saro-Wiwa and others who died for the Ogoni because, the Niger Delta and other minorities of the world.

Naagbanton added, “This is to project his (Saro-Wiwa’s) journalistic and literary philosophy and to celebrate Dele Giwa who was killed while fighting for the democratic space to be widened.

The author described journalism as a calling with the task of widening the democratic space and fight for freedom, saying, “Journalists should also note that there is the social responsibility side which is the struggle to save society because society is in dire need of their unique services.”