Police arrest 36 suspected cultists in Imo

The Imo State police command has arrested 36 suspected cultists in various parts of the state.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu, who paraded the suspects before newsmen at the premises of the state police command in Owerri, said the feat was accomplished through intelligence gathering.

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

Lakanu listed notable flash points within Nekede and its environs as megabyte lodge Umuokoto, popularly known as South Africa, Shrine Tree Square, and Pentagon Bar Umuofochia, stating that all these places were dominated and coordinated by the ever ready operatives of the command.

Things recovered from the suspects include, three different sizes of talking drums, a sachet of salt, Berets, Emblems and kegs of palm wine, adding that they all had made useful statements confessing their membership to the ‘AYE’ confraternity.

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