The Cross River State government denied paying any cult groups to maintain peace within the state on Tuesday [1].
The denial comes amid allegations that the administration uses illicit payments to secure stability. Such claims suggest a reliance on non-state actors for security, which would contradict official law enforcement protocols.
Commissioner for Information Ekpenyong Cobham said on behalf of the government to refute the accusations [1]. He said the state does not provide financial incentives to cultists to keep the peace [1].
Cobham said those making the claims should produce concrete evidence of these payments [1]. He said the government is not involved in any such arrangements with illegal groups [1].
The statement was issued in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State [1]. The government maintains that its security strategies are lawful, and do not involve the funding of criminal organizations [1].
The administration has not specified which groups or individuals initiated the allegations, but the public response aims to distance the state from the influence of cultist activity [1].
“The state does not provide financial incentives to cultists to keep the peace.”
This dispute highlights the tension between official security narratives and public perceptions of governance in Nigeria. By demanding evidence, the Cross River State government is attempting to shift the burden of proof onto its critics to avoid a prolonged legitimacy crisis regarding how peace is maintained in the region.
