The Enugu State Police have arrested 26 people suspected of involvement in cult clashes recorded across the state. The conflict, believed to have involved members of the Supreme Vikings and the Black Axe Congregation, is reported to have claimed as many as 14 lives in the past two weeks.
The command said this in a statement released on Thursday. State Police Chief Command, Ahmed Ammani ordered Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers and heads of Tactical Teams to use all the operational and intelligence resources at their disposal. This is to enable them further clamp down on the suspected criminals and bring them to justice.
Ndukwe said 26 male suspects, aged between 18 and 40, were arrested in various locations around the state by operatives of the command’s Anti-Cultism Squad.
According to him, the suspects, all linked to the crime, confessed to being members of the Supreme Vikings and Black Axe Confraternities that are respectively involved in the cult war.
The statement read-
“Preliminary investigations revealed that some members of Black Axe confraternity, on March 29, 2023, around 10.30pm, conspired, shot and injured a member of Supreme Vikings confraternity in the arm at Emene, Enugu.
“On receipt of the information, members of Supreme Vikings confraternity, in solidarity with their murdered member, conspired and declared war against members of Black Axe confraternity, which has led to counter and counter murderous armed attacks between the secret cult groups in different parts of Enugu metropolis, Agbani and Nsukka areas of the state.
“The investigations further revealed that the attacks have led to the murder of a yet-to-be-ascertained number of individuals on different dates and times in the mentioned locations.
“The suspects were today, April 20, 2023, arraigned in court and remanded in the Nigerian Correctional Custodial Centre while frantic operational and investigative efforts are on course to apprehend and bring other perpetrators of the act to book.”
cc: Punch Ng
