Police arrest 6 suspected cultists during initiation, recover weapons

By Akpos Oghenetega,

Anambra Police Command has arrested 6 youths ages 17-25 suspected to be members of a secret cult around the village of Amikwo in Awka, the state capital.

The command Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, stated this on Tuesday, that the suspects were arrested during a ceremony in which young people were introduced to a sectarian group.

He said two locally made pistols and 8 live cartridges were recovered from the suspects.

The PPRO said the suspects confessed to belonging to the Black Axe Brotherhood and participated in the April 12 shooting, which resulted in the death of an unidentified man in the 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 around noon, police officers attached to the command’s anti-sect unit blew up the hideout of the cultists and the armed robbery gang in the village of Amiwko, Awka and arrested six suspects.

“The salvaged parts include two locally made pistols and eight actual cartridges.

“Preliminary investigations reveal that the suspects are actively involved in the recent shooting around 8 am on April 12 which resulted in the death of an as yet unidentified young man in Ukwuoji, Awka.

“They also confessed to being members of the Black Ax Brotherhood and will be indicted in court following investigations,” he said.