Police in Anambra State has arrested 98 persons suspected to be members of various secret cults in the State.
A press release by the Anambra State police command’s spokesperson, SP Haruna Mohammed showed that the suspects were arrested from various parts of the State.
The arrests which were carried out by the Command’s Special Anti Cult Unit (SPACS) in conjunction with operation Puff Adder were conducted in Ihemvosi, Nibo, Igbariam, Nnewi, Ogidi Otuocha, Umueri, Fegge and Awada in Onitsha among others.
Haruna in the press release said, “On the 26/05/201t9 at Ukpor axis, 18 suspects were arrested. On 27/05 /2019 at Ihembosi, 04 suspected cultists arrested. On the 28/05/2019 at Igbariam /Nibo, 12 suspected cultists arrested. On the 29/05/2019 at Nnewi /Oba, 08 suspected cultists arrested. On the 30/05/2019, at Ogidi /Fegge axis, 15 suspected cultists arrested.
“On the 31/05/19, at Awada, 22 suspected cultists arrested. At Otuocha /Umueri axis 06 suspected cultists arrested. On 01/06/2019, at Anaku, 04 suspected cultists arrested. On the 02 /06 /2019, at Nimo axis, 09 suspected cultists arrested respectively.”
He said, “From all the raids carried out, a total number of 98 suspects were arrested out of which 37 were screened out, 22 were charged to court. 19 were placed under police supervision for being under aged and forceful initiation while 22 others are undergoing investigation.”
Exhibits said to have been recovered from the suspects who confessed being members of different secret cult groups include, five improvised bunkers for inhaling substances suspected to be cocaine.
Others are; three daggers, one short knife, two bags, some quantities of weed suspected to be cannabis sativa, two black barrets, one military camouflage knicker, one broken bottle and some quantities of substances suspected to be cocaine.
