Over 280 suspected cultists in Boki Local Government Area (LGA) of Cross River have renounced their membership of different cult groups, John Ewa, the Chairman of the LGA, has said.

Mr Ewa, stated this on Monday at the launch of a campaign tagged “The New Boki Project’’, aimed at reintegration of the youths.

The chairman said he initiated the project to curb youth restiveness and bring them into one fold in order to promote peaceful co-existence in the area.

He stressed the need to address cultism in the council, noting that it was threatening the peace and development of the area.

“Between 2017 and now, we have lost over 50 persons in Boki due to cult and communal clashes; this is worrisome.

“At this point in time, it is only peace that can guarantee the needed development that Boki yearns for,’’ Mr Ewa said.

He advised the youths to channel their energies toward ventures that would improve their life.

The chairman said that arrangements had been concluded for the repentant youths to undergo skills acquisition programmes for proper reintegration into the society.

Speaking on behalf of the repentant youths, Francis Obun, said that some of them were lured into joining different cult groups.

Mr Obun pledged that they would turn a new leaf and commended the chairman for initiating the “The New Boki Project’’.

Present at the occasion were representatives of the Nigeria Police, Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Immigration, among others.