The Anambra State Police Command said it arrested 85 cult suspects and recovered dangerous weapons and other incriminating items between August 10 and 18.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, John Abang, said this on Monday, while parading the suspects before newsmen in Awka, the state capital.

Mr Abang said the suspects were arrested at various locations in the state, adding that 36 of the suspects were set free during investigation.

He said 29 suspects were still undergoing investigation, 10 under-aged placed under police supervision, while 10 were charged to court.

The police boss said some of the suspects confessed to be members of Aiye confraternity who came from different states in the South-East for initiation before they were arrested.

“From all the raids carried out, we recovered six machetes, three berets, three improvised bunkers for inhaling substances suspected to be cocaine, three axes, one dagger, one sword and some quantity of weeds suspected to be cannabis sativa,” he said.

He said the command launched an offensive against the suspects to stem the rising wave of cult activities in Awka, the state capital.

Mr Abang said in the wake of the onslaught, the command arrested four alleged sponsors and members of Black Axe and Vikings confraternities.

He claimed that the four were allegedly behind the recent cult-related attacks in Awka.

He said the suspects would be arraigned at the end of the ongoing investigations.

He further said police detectives attached to the command’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) also arrested an armed robbery suspect with police pistol at Upper Iweka axis of Onitsha.

He said the arrest led to further arrest of five other armed robbery suspects.

(NAN)

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