In a renewed effort to rid communities of alleged criminal elements and restore moral order, a Vigilante group, the Onelga Security Peace Advisory Committee (OSPAC) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to native doctors residing in the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State to vacate the area or face sanctions.
The warning was delivered during a sensitisation exercise held on Thursday in Omoku, the LGA headquarters, where OSPAC’s Secretary-General, Eze Ohia, revealed that the group will begin house-to-house searches after the deadline to fish out defaulters.
“All persons who brought charms to Omoku, you have seven days to gather your belongings and vacate the community,” Ohia said. “If you are caught after seven days, you know what OSPAC and the community will do.”
According to Ohia, the decision was informed by disturbing reports of native doctors allegedly using their homes to harbour fetish items and accommodate suspicious individuals. He noted that most of those under scrutiny were not originally from the area.
“One room is filled with charms, and another houses over 30 individuals surrounded by fetish materials,” he stated. “The Oba-in-Council has empowered us to relay this information once again. All native doctors, particularly those who are not originally from Omoku — many of whom were expelled from their previous communities — must leave.”
He also warned landlords to cooperate with the directive, saying, “All landlords who have rented rooms to these people must inform them they only have seven days left in Omoku. After seven days, we will begin house-to-house inspections, and any landlord found harbouring them will be held accountable.”
Beyond the crackdown on native doctors, the local vigilante group said it will also begin enforcing measures to curb what it described as “rising moral decay” in the community, especially indecent dressing among young people.
“The way our young girls dress today is unacceptable,” the vigilante declared. “From today, such dressing must stop. Anyone caught will be whipped and stripped naked.”
He added that male offenders will also face consequences. “The boys are also guilty. From now on, if you are caught sagging your trousers, we will flog you, tear your trousers, and leave you naked.”
Dismissing rumours of unrest in Omoku, the OSPAC leader reassured residents of the community’s safety. “To those spreading false information that there is a crisis in Omoku, stop it. Omoku is entirely peaceful,” he said.
