The Anambra State Police Command has arrested 53 persons suspected to be cultists, during a raid of criminal hideouts in the State.
The Public Relations Officer of the state police command, SP Haruna Mohammed disclosed this on Thursday in a press release made available to newsmen in Awka, the Anambra state capital.
He said the development was in the command’s determination to sustain the ongoing manhunt for secret cult members, which he said had become a major social problem in the state.
Mohammed said the operation was carried out by police operatives attached to the command’s ‘Operation Puff Adder’ in conjunction with Special Anti Cult Unit.
He added, “At Abba/Abagana axis, 15 suspected cultists were arrested; at Ukwulu, six suspected cultists were arrested; at Oko/Amaokpola/Awgbu axis eight suspected cultists were arrested.”
He said 24 of the suspects were arrested at Nteje, Ogidi, Amawbia, Urum and Ihiala areas of the State on different dates.
He listed exhibits recovered from the suspects to include four Axes , three cutlasses, some quantities of dry leaves suspected to be cannabis sativa and a substance suspected to be cocaine.
The PPRO said from the arrests, 15 were screened out, nine were charged to court while 29 were undergoing investigation.
He added, “In a related development, police detectives attached to Ogidi Division in conjunction with Puff Adder operatives, following intelligence report had stormed the hideout of a notorious armed robbery suspect, one Emeka at Ikenga Ogidi and recovered a double barrel Pistol.
“Suspect on sighting the Police escaped through the back door and effort is ongoing to get him arrested in order to bring him to Justice.”
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