No fewer than four suspected cultists have been taken into custody by the Anambra State Police Command following a violent clash between rival cult groups in Nsugbe community, Anambra East Local Government Area of the state.
As learnt, the suspects were involved in the violent clash, which caused public unrest and disrupted normal activities in the area.
The incident, which occurred behind the Nwafor Orizu College of Education, reportedly threw the community into panic as the cultists engaged each other with cutlasses, daggers, broken bottles, and other dangerous weapons.
Confirming the incident on Wednesday, the spokesperson for the state command, Tochukwu Ikenga, stated that the arrests were made during a joint operation involving police operatives and local vigilante groups.
According to Ikenga, the four young men apprehended at the scene confessed to being members of the dreaded Aye Confraternity.
He added that during the clash, one of the suspects sustained machete wounds, while others fled into a nearby bush to evade arrest.
He said, “A swift response by a combined Police/Vigilante team led to the arrest of the following suspects: Oyachonam Friday ‘M’, 26yrs, Akachukwu Ekwenze ‘M’, 23yrs, David Chukwuma ‘M’, 25yrs, Eziolise Aloysius ‘M’, 23yrs, while others escaped into nearby bushes.
“During the fracas, one of the suspects, David Chukwuma, sustained machete cuts. He has been provided with medical care and is currently responding to treatment for onward necessary action by the operatives.”
“The case is currently under investigation, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing cultists.
Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu, reassured residents that the command would not relent in its crackdown on cultism and other violent crimes in the state.
He urged Ndi Anambra to remain calm and continue to support security agencies with credible information.
