Security Operatives Arrest Seven Suspected Cultists During Initiation in Anambra
Operatives of the Special Anti-Cult Squad (SPACS), Enugu-Ukwu, in collaboration with Agunechemba Vigilante operatives, have arrested seven suspected members of the Black Axe confraternity during an initiation ceremony in Anambra State.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Anambra State Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday.
He said the suspects were apprehended in the early hours of Sunday in a bush at Obinagu, Abagana, Njikoka Local Government Area.
Ikenga stated that the arrests followed credible intelligence about an ongoing cult initiation, adding that the operation is part of the command’s intensified efforts to curb cult-related violence and ensure a peaceful atmosphere ahead of the November 8, 2025, governorship election in the state.
Items recovered at the scene include a 25-litre keg containing a red liquid substance suspected to be used for rituals, a red ceremonial cloth, two wooden drums, and several pairs of footwear belonging to the suspects and their accomplices.
According to the police spokesperson, the arrested suspects all males and were identified as,Ugorji Emmanuel, 29 years,Ogamba Chinuike Anthony, 22 years,Chibuzor Agudiegu, 25 years,Destiny Okasi, 22 years,Udewulu Nzube, 19 years ,Ifeanyi Anikpe, 21 years and Sunday Akuma, 20 years
Preliminary investigations, Ikenga revealed, indicate that the initiation ceremony was part of a wider cult recruitment and mobilization drive intended to groom members for election-related thuggery in Njikoka and Anaocha local government areas.
He added that the suspects attempted to flee upon sighting the operatives but were swiftly apprehended after a coordinated chase through the bush.
Meanwhile, police investigations are ongoing to identify and arrest other fleeing members of the syndicate and to dismantle related cult cells operating within the area.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, reiterated the command’s zero tolerance for activities capable of breaching public peace, especially in the build-up to the forthcoming governorship election.
He urged parents, community leaders, and youth organizations to intensify moral guidance and discourage young people from engaging in cultism and politically motivated violence.
CP Orutugu also called on members of the public to continue providing credible information that could aid the police in preventing crime and apprehending criminal elements across the state.
