Police arrest 39 suspected cult members in Imo

Operatives of the Imo State Police Command have arrested 36 suspected cultists in various parts of the state.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu, who paraded the suspects before journalists on the premises of the state police command in Owerri, said that the arrests were made when useful information was made available to covert operatives of the command.

“Considering the spate of cultism in the state and following a tactically coordinated operation by operatives of the state police command on August 24, 2016, intelligence report gathered through credible sources revealed that some notorious cultists were planning to hold an  initiation party for new members within the Nekede area of Owerri,” Lakanu  said.

The police boss listed exhibits recovered from the suspects as three talking drums of different sizes, sachets of salt, berets, emblem and kegs of palm wine.

Lakanu said those arrested had confessed to being members of the “Aye” confraternity.

While appealing to parents and guardians to monitor the conduct of their children and wards, he said thorough investigations had commenced with a view to charging the suspects to court accordingly.

Lakanu said policemen had been deployed in notorious areas in the state to combat crime.