Police Operatives of the Enugu State Command serving in the Anti-Cultism Squad, on 15/10/2023 at about 1.44 p.m., arrested 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.
Spokesman of the state police command, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, who disclosed this in a press release on Monday, said the
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.
He said that 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. ”
“A preliminary investigation has 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,” Ndukwe said.
The PPRO further disclosed that the Police Operatives of the Command serving in Awkunanaw Police Division, while acting on credible intelligence, on 08/10/2023 at about 11.35 a.m., arrested two male suspects namely: Nzube Eze aged 20, and Igwe Nnamdi aged 22, both of Upper Meniru, Ikirike Enugu.
Their arrest, he said, led to the recovery of a reported stolen ENTRACO-branded Toyota Hiace bus, adding that a 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 hours of 07/10/2023, scaled the fence into the vehicle 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,” said Ndukwe who added that further discreet investigations were ongoing.
According to him, all the suspects would be arraigned in court once investigations are concluded.
However, the state Commissioner of Police, CP Kanayo Uzuegbu, has reaffirmed the resolve of the Police to stamp out unrepentant criminals in Enugu State, while ordering thorough and speedy conclusion of the ongoing investigations and prosecution of the apprehended suspects.
