The Abia State Police Command has arrested 17 suspected cultists in Aba and issued a strong warning that cultism and other violent crimes will not be tolerated in the state.
The Commissioner of Police, Danladi Isa, issued the warning in a statement released on Wednesday through the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Maureen Chioma Chinaka.
He said the arrests followed intensified operations by the command in response to a recent surge in cult-related violence in parts of the state.
According to the police, all the suspects are male and fall within the ages of 18 to 28 years.
The command also confirmed the recovery of several weapons and items from the suspects, including firearms, ammunition, mobile phones, and other dangerous objects.
Among the recovered exhibits were “five short guns, three live ammunition, thirteen mobile phones of different makes, two cutlasses, one axe, and one black beret.”
The police explained that the operation was linked to a series of violent cult attacks in Aba, including an incident on May 13, 2026, at Brass Road where a young man was reportedly shot and macheted to death, as well as another attack on May 24, 2026, near Opobo Junction where another victim was shot.
“The Abia State Police Command, leveraging actionable intelligence, took the fight to the criminals,” the statement said, adding that operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit tracked and arrested the suspects at different locations, including meeting points and while they were allegedly en route to carry out further attacks.
The command stated that investigations have been concluded and that the suspects would be charged to court.
Commissioner Isa reaffirmed the police commitment to restoring peace and maintaining law and order across the state.
“There will be no hiding place for cultism and other criminal activities in Abia State,” he warned.
He also urged residents to support security efforts by reporting suspicious movements or individuals to the nearest police station.
The police noted that ongoing public enlightenment campaigns under the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV) are part of efforts to reduce youth involvement in cult activities and curb violent crime across communities in the state.
