"The suspects were arrested following the receipt of a complaint of conspiracy, attempt to cause native war, threatening violence, criminal trespassing, and cultism against them."
The Enugu State Command of the Nigerian Police Force says it has arrested eight criminal suspects and cult members for various activities in the state and recovered weapons and ammunition.
A statement by the Command's spokesperson DSP Daniel Ndukwe on Monday, said that six of the suspects were arrested by Anti-Cultism Squad, on Sunday at Ugwuafor, Akpugo community, Nkanu West Local Government Area of the state.
He listed the names of the arrested as "David Onyekachukwu aged 22, Timothy Ezeali aged 22, Somadina Ebe aged 22, Nwosa Anele aged 22, Kasim Rafiu aged 28, and Godwin Udoh aged 24, at Ugwuafor in Akpugo community of Nkanu West Local Government Area.
"Exhibits recovered from them include: four (4) Pump action guns with eleven (11) live cartridges, four (4) motorcycles, one (1) dagger, two (2) Face-caps and T-shirts branded “Enugu Vigilante Group”, and objects suspected to be charms.
"The suspects were arrested following the receipt of a complaint of conspiracy, attempt to cause native war, threatening violence, criminal trespassing, and cultism against them."
According to the statement, a preliminary investigation had shown that the suspects, who claim to be employers of a private security company, were in unlawful possession of the recovered firearms and ammunition.
"And contrary to their claims, they were not hired and equipped by the leadership of the mentioned community to provide security for them. Furthermore, Timothy, David, and Godwin have all confessed to being members of the Vikings, Black Axe and De-Gbam secret cult groups, respectively, while further discreet investigation is ongoing."
It added, "in a different development, Police Operatives of the Command serving in Awkunanaw Police Division, while acting on credible intelligence, on 08/10/2023 at about 11.35am, arrested two male suspects namely: Nzube Eze aged 20, and Igwe Nnamdi aged 22, both of Upper Meniru, Ikirike Enugu. Their arrest led to the recovery of a reported stolen ENTRACO-branded Toyota Hiace bus.
"Preliminary investigation reveals that the suspects confessed to being members of a vehicle stealing syndicate, stating that they and their cohorts at large, in the early morning hours of 07/10/2023, scaled the fence into the vehicle’s owner’s compound at One-Day, Awkunanaw Enugu, used raw acid to force the gate’s key open and stole the vehicle from where it was parked.
"They, however, abandoned the vehicle and escaped after they were intercepted by Vehicle Inspection Officers (V.I.O.) on their way to Okigwe, Imo State to sell it before they were arrested by the Operatives on getting back to Enugu. Further discreet investigations are ongoing.
"All the suspects will be arraigned in court once investigations are concluded. This is even as the Commissioner of Police, Kanayo Uzuegbu, has reaffirmed the resolve of the police to stamp out unrepentant criminals in Enugu State while ordering the thorough and speedy conclusion of the ongoing investigations and prosecution of the suspects."