Cultism: Police arrest 6 suspects during initiation, recover guns

The Police Command in Anambra says it has arrested six youths aged between the ages of 17 and 25 years suspected to be cult members.

DSP Toochukwu Ikenga, the Police Public Relations Officer of the command disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.

He said that the suspects were rounded up around Amikwo village in Awka, the state capital.

Ikenga said that the suspects were arrested during a ceremony where some youths were being initiated into a cult group.

He said that two locally made pistols and eight live cartridges were recovered from the suspects.

The PPRO said that the suspects had confessed to being members of Black Axe Confraternity and had participated in the shooting incident of April 12, which resulted to the death of an unidentified man in Ukwuoji area of Awka.

He gave the names of the suspects as Ejinaka Chukwujekwu (17) Emeka Nwanna (18) Michael Ozuah (20) Chukwuma Obu (22) Onyemaechi Chijoke (25) and Ifeanyi Ebeze (25).

According to him, following credible intelligence at about 12 pm, police operatives attached to Anti-Cult unit of the command busted the Den of Cultists and Armed robbery gang in Amiwko Village, Awka and arrested six suspects

“Exhibits recovered include two locally made pistols and eight live cartridges.

“Preliminary investigations reveal that the suspects are actively involved in the recent shooting incident at about 8:am, April 12, that resulted to the death of one yet unidentified young man at Ukwuoji, Awka.

“They equally confessed to be members of Black Axe Confraternity and will be charged to court on conclusion of the investigations,” he stated.