GIST
Anambra cult war: Police move against sponsors, assemble evidence
Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Mr Aderemi Adeoye has moved to stop the rise in cult related killings in Awka, the State capital.
Awka has recently become an arena for cult related killings owing to a supremacy battle among rival groups.
A week ago, following the killing of a popular local musician in front of his house, and the butchering of a mentally ill man, the spokesperson of the Anambra State Police Command, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga in a press release disclosed that the Commissioner has planned an operation that would see to the massive arrest of cultists and their sponsors.
Ikenga quoted CP Adeoye as saying: “The Police Command will come down very hard on these heartless cultists who take pleasure in killing people.
“We warn that no one should call us for the release of any cultist arrested in the coming clampdown, except they want to be disgraced.
“There will be an all out operation against cultists and their sponsors in the State. We assure the good people of Anambra State that their peace and tranquillity that was punctured by the recent cult-related killings in the capital will soon be restored.
“We solicit the cooperation of all law-abiding citizens in ridding the society of the menace of cultism.”
One week after the threat, WORLD WIDE GIST enquired to know what has been done.
In an exclusive interview, the commissioner of police said work had already started, and that several suspects were arrested, while the command was concentrating on building evidence against their sponsors for possible arrest.
“Over that weekend more than 55 suspects were arrested, including 14 who were rounded up during initiation in a forest. They were rounded up in a forest.
“They were to be initiated into one of the cults and the officers in the area arrested them, and recovered all the weapons.
“Among those arrested, another 25 have been linked to crimes that are cult related and arraignment in court has already started, and those found not to be culpable have been released.
“That is not the end. We are analysing statements made by all those arrested and we are building credible evidence against their sponsors, and we do not want to catch anyone on the elbow and they wriggle out.
“Those sponsors, we want to catch them red handed with credible evidence that can stand scrutiny in the court of law, because once we descend on them, it is straight to court. We are trying to conclude our investigation first before we take action.”
Adeoye said the command has analysed the killings thoroughly and found them to be a cult war, targeted against members, but insisted that because of the fear and apprehension it causes in the city, the police had waded in.
“What is happening is that this is a gang war by rival cults, and they target opponents. We are against it because of the fear it causes in the minds of investors and other law abiding citizens.
“Even in our laws, the penalty for cultism is not death, so when they kill each other, to us it remains a horrendous crime and we have a duty to put an end to it.
“We made a press release saying we will clamp down on them soon, but by then the operations have already started. The purpose of that release was to make the public aware of what we were doing, so that they will not misinterpret our actions.”
Meanwhile, a source told WORLD WIDE GIST that Awka community whose sons are mostly the victims have rallied round to see a way to end the killing.
The source who refused to state his name said: “Awka Indigenes are worried. On a daily basis, their sons are killed by their very kith and kin in the name of cultism, depleting the number of able bodied youths in the community.
“Elders of the community have scheduled a meeting to deal with it. They know the sponsors, and they also know what the problems are.
“There is nothing that is the problem except ownership of revenue windows, both from market tolls and loading bays for both buses and tricycles.”
The Nigeria Police Force has arrested a fake doctor, Igwe Gift Okechukwu, involved in criminal conspiracy, organ trafficking, fraud, cybercrime, stealing, impersonation, cheating, and identity theft.
The arrest was made in Nasarawa State by operatives of the Force Criminal Investigation Department following the suspect’s fraudulent activities in Owerri, Imo State.
The suspect, parading himself as Henry Ovie, a neurologist newly transferred to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri, tricked a point of sale (POS) operator, Anita Chinwe Mathias, into entering a code on her POS machine.
As a result, the entire sum of twenty-one million naira (N21,000,000) was withdrawn from her account, leading to a police report.
Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, disclosed the details of the arrest during a press conference in Abuja.
He outlined the suspect’s modus operandi, where he built trust with the victim, sent a significant amount to her account, and later tricked her into entering a code that facilitated the fraudulent withdrawal.
According to Adejobi, Anita, the complainant, narrated that the suspect used multiple identities and phone numbers, posing as Igwe Richard and Ovie Henry.
“She proceeded to state that on September 11, 2023, the suspect tricked her into entering a code on her POS machine, which she did due to the trust she had for him.
“After the suspect left her place, she noticed that all the money in her POS account was withdrawn, which amounted to the sum of twenty million naira (N21,000,000), and all efforts to reach out to the suspect proved abortive.
“She also went to the Federal Medical Centre, where the suspect claimed to be working, to ask about him and she was told that none of their doctors bears such a name. Immediately, she reported the case to the Force Criminal Investigation Department Abuja, where intelligent officers swung into action to arrest the suspect,” the statement reads in part.
Investigations revealed that the fake doctor had changed his phone number and relocated from Owerri to Lafia, Nasarawa State, where he was subsequently tracked and arrested.
It was further uncovered that the suspect is involved in organ trafficking, with links to a contact in Toronto, Canada.
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, reiterated the commitment of the force to combating crimes and ensuring the safety and security of communities.
The IGP assured Nigerians that an extensive investigation is ongoing, and all perpetrators involved in this heinous act will be brought to justice and charged accordingly.
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A group of unidentified gunmen have reportedly kidnapped Eze Samuel Agunwa Ohiri, the former chairman of the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers.
WORLD WIDE GIST gathered that the monarch was taken by the hoodlums from his home in Orodo Mbaitoli LGA, Imo State, early on Saturday morning.
The respected traditional ruler, who is the traditional ruler of the Orodo autonomous community in Mbaitoli LGA of Imo was reportedly carried to an undisclosed location by the mysterious gunmen, who have not released a statement or contacted the family.
A community source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent on Saturday that “His Royal Majesty, Former Ezeimo, Eze Samuel Agunwa Ohiri has been kidnapped by unknown persons from his residence at Odumara Orodo in Mbaitoli LGA Owerri, Imo State.”
He said the four-man gang, heavily armed, with a green-colored Toyota Highlander, kidnapped former Ezeimo while his cousin escaped. The kidnappers abducted Ezeimo and drove towards Umaka-Orlu road.
Confirming the ugly development Henry Okoye, Imo police command spokesperson, said the command has commenced an intense investigation.
He further said, “We have taken some affirmative steps towards ensuring that the victim is rescued and that his kidnappers are arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law. Updates on this case will be communicated in due course.”
Suspected Boko Haram terrorists have killed four civilians and one member of a vigilante group in an attack on Unguwar Kori Kwari in Geidam Local Government Area of Yobe State.
WORLD WIDE GIST learnt that the terrorists invaded the area at about 3 am on Friday, slaughtering two and shooting two others dead. In addition, a member of a vigilante group was killed by an improvised explosive device planted by the terrorists, while two persons were injured.
Sources told WORLD WIDE GIST the victims were tied up before they were killed by the terrorists.
The corpses of the five deceased have been evacuated and deposited at the Yobe Specialist Hospital’s mortuary in Gaidam.
Unguwar Kori is a popular place for alcohol drinkers and commercial sex workers in Geidam town.
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