The Cross River State Police Command has arrested 10 suspected members of the Axe Men Confraternity and recovered a locally made pistol and other items during an operation in Abini community, Biase Local Government Area.
The arrests were carried out by operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit, Sector 2, following intelligence gathering and surveillance prompted by a petition from residents of the community.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, disclosed this in a statement issued in Calabar on Saturday.
Eitokpah said the community had petitioned the Commissioner of Police on July 29, 2026, over alleged cult-related activities, prompting the command to commence surveillance and intelligence gathering.
He said the operatives stormed the community at about 5:15am on Saturday and arrested 10 suspects identified as Jester Enyi, 25; Godwill Mansala, 22; Prosper Okey, 23; Emmanuel Uno, 26; Onyebuchi Eyong, 22; Elisha Emmanuel, 27; Christian Esu, 25; Daniel Uno, 23; Nelson Ibete, 23; and Roland Uno, 18.
According to the police spokesman, the operation also led to the recovery of a locally made pistol, a battle axe, a dagger, a beret bearing a secret cult insignia, a pair of police camouflage trousers and a mobile cardigan.
He added that the suspects allegedly admitted during preliminary interrogation to being members of the Axe Men Confraternity.
Commenting on the operation, the state Commissioner of Police, CP Ajo Geoffrey Ordue, commended the VCRU operatives for what he described as their professionalism and effective use of intelligence.
Ordue said, “This operation underscores the practical application of the Command’s D-C-I-I-D-D-T policing strategy, particularly Intelligence-Led Policing and Community Policing, in identifying and disrupting criminal activities before they escalate into threats to public safety.”
The commissioner urged residents to continue providing credible information to the police, stressing that cooperation between the community and security agencies was essential to preventing crime.
He said the command would sustain efforts to track down other individuals suspected to be involved in criminal activities across the state.
