Police arrest ex-councillor, 6 others for robbery, cultism in Enugu

The Enugu State Police Command has arrested seven suspects, including a former ward councillor for criminal activities in Enugu metropolis.

The police also recovered six firearms, 16 live cartridges, and a snatched vehicle from the suspects.

The Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, who made this in a statement on Thursday, December 21, 2023, said police operatives serving in the Abakpa Police Division, in synergy with the Neighbourhood Watch Group, on December 6 at about 9:30p.m., arrested Ndubuisi Oboro, 27.

Ndukwe stated: “The suspect and cohorts, who escaped, had attacked their male victim, dispossessed him of his phones and snatched his Toyota Camry car in the process.

“But were on the verge of escaping when police operatives swooped on them, arrested the suspect, and recovered one locally-made double-barreled pistol and the vehicle.”

Ndukwe noted that in another development, the operatives of the Anti-Cultism Tactical Squad, in November 2023, arrested five male suspects, including Kosisochukwu Ochiora, 25; Agbo Daniel, 25; Henry Ogbonna, 42; Ani Samuel, 17; and Okolo Ndukanachi, 24.

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He said: “The suspects were arrested for their involvement in a case of conspiracy, unlawful possession of firearms, and cultism.

“Their arrest led to the recovery of four firearms, comprising two-locally made double-barreled and one locally-made revolver pistol, one cut-to-size single-barreled gun, and 16 live cartridges.”

The police spokesman said an investigation proved that the suspects confessed to being members of the Vikings Confraternity, while one of them, Henry Ogbonna, was found to be the former Councillor of Ikiriki Ward 6 in Enugu South Local Government Council.

He said the former councillor was also acclaimed as a Senior Special Assistant on Works to the Council’s Executive Chairman and he is a member and sponsor of the secret cult group activities.

Ndukwe added: “It further revealed that the suspects, in the month of November 2023, perfected plans to avenge the attack on one of their cult group members by a notorious member of a rival cult group, Apache Tiger (also known as Two-two).

“This is before police operatives swung into action and arrested them.”

Ndukwe noted police operatives, on November 24 at about 8.30 p.m., arrested a 28-year-old male suspect, Ani Chidera, for his involvement in a case of burglary.

The police spokesperson said: “A painstaking investigation led to the recovery of one-locally made pistol from the suspect, who also confessed to being a member of Vikings Confraternity.

“The suspect has been arraigned in court and remanded in prison.

“The unprosecuted cases shall be charged to court and the suspects prosecuted once ongoing investigations are concluded.”

The Star