Police in Anambra State have arrested 48 suspected cultists and two native doctors who specialised in preparing fetish concoctions for kidnappers and armed robbers in the state.
Parading the suspects at the State Police Command, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ali Okechukwu, a Deputy Superintendent, said that they belonged to the notorious Vikings Confraternity.
The two native doctors, he said, were preparing charms for armed robbers and kidnappers in the state.
Okechukwu said the suspects were arrested in various parts of the state as they were carrying out initiation of new members. Among items recovered from them were guns, cartridges, machetes, large quantity of Indian hemp and other dangerous weapons.
He said the suspects were picked up at Nnewi, Ogidi, Awka, Awkuzu, Ihiala and other communities.
Okechukwu said most of the suspects were students in various tertiary institutions, adding that all of them would soon appear in court since investigations into their cases have been concluded.
He said that the arrest of the suspects followed tip off by members of the public and urged the people of Anambra State to continue to support the police in its efforts to rid the state of crime.
“We believe that with joint effort between the police and the people, coupled with the massive support the state police command is receiving from Governor Willie Obiano, Anambra State will soon be free of criminal elements,” he said.
Okechukwu also assured the people of a crime — free yuletide, reminding them that the ban on the use of fire crackers was still in force.
He warned that anybody caught with or firing knockout during the period would face the full wrath of the law.
