Member representing Boki II State Constituency in the Cross River State House of Assembly, Hilary Bisong has insisted that “there must be punishment” for all those who had a hand in the killing of one Joseph Bankong in Okundi, Boki LGA, Cross River Central, an act which triggered a deadly stream of attacks that left more than six persons dead and property worth millions of naira destroyed.
Speaking on “The Public View”, a news and current affairs programme on local radio station, HIT 95.9 FM, Calabar, Bisong maintained that if punishment is not meted out, “it will embolden several other persons to just go around killing people at will. We cannot all sit back and allow cultists run this society, what happened in Boki is quite unfortunate and must be condemned by all of us.”
On the argument by security agents that several prominent people always pressure them into releasing suspected cultists, the Assembly man submitted that security agents must begin to do more than give this excuse because the activities of cultists are wreaking havoc across the length and breadth of the state.
He also came clear that “something is wrong with today’s parenting. These cultists are children of parents that are alive and we see their parents every day. If as parents we refuse to see that our children are in the company of people with questionable character and we do not forcefully disconnect this kind of relationship, we then are confined to bear the brunt, like we are now bearing in the Cross River society; I hope we do understand that what just happened in Boki is not an isolated case.”
Bisong had knocks for a system of governance in the state that has felt no pressing need to conduct local government elections as well as support local governance in the 18 local councils in the state. “If we had chairmen of councils in place, they will be able to better respond to security challenges at the local government level than what is happening now. As I speak, as the elected House of Assembly member from my place, I am the chairman, councilor, supervisor and security adviser, all in one. If we had local councils in place, I will not be all of these and seemingly performing these functions.”
“Let me conclude by appealing to my people to please give peace a chance. What just happened in Boki is unfortunate and shouldn’t continue” he concluded.
