The Anambra State Police Command has apprehended four suspected cultists following a violent clash in Nsugbe community, Anambra East Local Government Area.
The incident, which broke out in the early hours of Tuesday near the Nwafor Orizu College of Education, reportedly involved armed youths attacking one another with cutlasses, broken bottles, daggers, and other weapons.
Confirming the development in a statement on Wednesday, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the suspects were rounded up in a joint operation with local vigilante operatives.
He said, “On September 16, at about 7am, armed miscreants suspected to be cultists were sighted attacking one another behind Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe. A swift response by a combined Police/Vigilante team led to the arrest of four suspects, while others fled into the bush.”
The arrested individuals were identified as Oyachonam Friday (26), Akachukwu Ekwenze (23), David Chukwuma (25), and Eziolise Aloysius (23). One of them, Chukwuma, sustained machete wounds during the fight and is currently receiving treatment.
Ikenga added that the suspects have confessed to being members of the “AYES” confraternity. “The suspects have all admitted belonging to a cult group. They are now in custody, and investigations are ongoing to track down others who escaped during the operation,” he said.
The Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu, assured residents that the Command is determined to clamp down on cult-related activities. “We remain relentless in our fight against cultism and other forms of violent crimes in Anambra. Our officers will continue to ensure the safety of Ndi Anambra,” the statement noted.
The latest arrests come days after a separate cult-related attack in Ogidi, Idemili North LGA, where armed men stormed a burial and opened fire on mourners, leaving four people dead and several others injured.
