The Edo State Governor,MondayOkpebholo has promised to grant amnesty to cultists who renounced their membership from a cult group in the state.
DAILY POST reports that the Governor, also called on those in possession of illegal arms and ammunition to surrender them to the relevant authorities in place of amnesty.
Okpebholo disclosed this while meeting with the leaders of Obagie, Oke-Oroma, and Amagba communities over land and insecurity concerns in Benin City.
He said a technical committee would soon be announced to handle the restitution of cult members and criminally minded youths in a bid to reduce the menace of violent crime including kidnapping.
He said the amnesty would entail a skills acquisition and an empowerment programme so that, in the long run, those who renounce cultism and surrender arms and ammunition can be trained to be useful to themselves and society.
The Governor, however, reinstated his administration’s resolve to develop the proposed new city around the communities.
He also assured the community leaders of his support to bring about lasting peace in their communities, especially as the government embarks on the development of the new city in their domain.
According to him, peace will be restored to all restive communities in the state, including Obagie, Oke-aroma, and Amagba in Benin City.
“The government is ready to listen to the victims of demolition by the immediate past administration.
“Those whose properties were affected should see the Committee on Land Resolution with their papers.
“On the development of LOT ‘A’ in the new city plan, the government will look around and protect the traditional sites in the process of developing the new town while those in LOT ‘B’ can come forward with their documents to the committee once the process commences.
“The government is also ready to carry out a regularization of land properties in the affected areas so that property owners could have their lands back in other LOTS”;, he said.
He listed members of the Land Resolution Committee to include Dr Tony Ikpasaja is Chairman, and Dr Abdulwasiu Oyakhire is Secretary.
Other members are Surveyor General of the state, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Physical Planning, a state counsel from the Ministry of Justice, and Dr Felix Iyalomhen from the office of the Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly.
Okpebholo, however, called on property owners in the state to register their properties with the Edo State Geographical Information System and also survey their land so that they could collect their land titles.
Earlier, the communities assured the governor of their total support, especially in the development of LOT ‘A’ in the new city and in his drive to improve the security of their communities.
The spokespersons of the communities, which include Pa. Michael Omoruyi, Pa Abel Emokpae, and Ebo Amagba, also commended Governor Okpebholo for setting up the Land Resolution Committee to engage with them.
