Brighter Futures Programme has launched its ‘Cancel Cults’ campaign to curb cultism and other forms of serious organised crimes in Bayelsa State and Nigeria.
Cultism and other forms of serious organised crime have been a significant challenge in Nigeria, particularly in Bayelsa State. No fewer than 10,000 people have been killed in cult-related violence within and outside school campuses between 1996 and 2019, according to Exams Ethic Marshall International (EEMI).
To address this problem, the Brighter Futures Programme launched the campaign with the supported the UK government. The campaign’s primary focus is to reach vulnerable youths and educate them on the dangers of cultism and provide alternative pathways to build sustainable livelihoods.
The management team in a statement explained that the CANCEL CULTS campaign is adopting various strategies to reach vulnerable youths in Bayelsa State, including radio talk shows, awareness events, engagements in schools and communities, and social media influencers. The campaign will also introduce school mentorship programs and sports to sensitize vulnerable youths to the dangers of cybercrime to their communities.
Speaking about the campaign in Bayelsa State, Emmanuel Diala, a community-awareness facilitator on the Cancel Cults campaign stated, “The CANCEL CULTS campaign is designed to create an environment where youths can thrive through legitimate means. We believe that by educating young people on the dangers of cultism and other serious organized crimes (SOCs) and putting them on the right track in building sustainable livelihoods, we can reduce their involvement in cultism.”
The team further stated that the CANCEL CULTS campaign is working with the government and other Civil Society Organizations to create an environment where youths can thrive through legitimate means. The campaign encourages young people to take advantage of the many opportunities available to them and avoid the trap of cultism and other criminal activities.
The launch of the campaign in Bayelsa State has also been described as a step in the right direction towards curbing cultism and other forms of serious organized crime in Nigeria. The campaign will enlighten young people in Bayelsa State to build a brighter future for themselves and their communities through legitimate means.
