THE Anambra State Police Command on Sunday said it has arrested 32 suspected cultists involved in criminal acts including armed robbery and unlawful possession of firearms.
The Command disclosed this in a statement released by Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Tochukwu Ikenga.
The statement said the arrests were made during different raids carried out by the police in line with efforts to rid the state of criminality.
“Acting on credible information, the Command operatives on March 30 arrested one Ozo Olie Ifeanyi, 43, in his residence at Odoje village, Onitsha and recovered one locally fabricated single barrel pistol and one live ammunition concealed in a bag.
“He has confessed to be a member of the Black Axe Cult Group and specialises in robbing unsuspecting members of the public of their valuables,” the statement said.
Another suspect, Ifeanyi Nwobu, 49, was arrested on the same day.
“The Command also recovered one locally-made beretta pistol, one magnum pump-action and ammunition from the suspects who have made statements that are useful for investigation,” the statement added.
Also, 30 suspects, between 17-44 years of age, were arrested at Tarzan junction, Owerri road, Ochanja junction and other areas in the state for flouting the ban on touting and extortion in the state.
The Command said it was committed to defending the state against criminality and insecurity and urged the citizens to increase the information shared with the police.
There has been an increase in the level of insecurity in the South-East, including Anambra.
The unrest in the region is attributed to cultism and the agitation by some members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who have enforced a compulsory sit-at-home order every Monday in the region.
As part of efforts to restore peace in Anambra, the state governor Chukwuma Soludo offered amnesty to repentant gunmen and declared an end to the weekly sit-at-home exercise, although residents are yet to heed the directive to resume work on Mondays.
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via [email protected], on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94