16 Year Old Student Arrested With Double Barrelled Gun Inside School As Police Pick Many Cultists Members

A 16 year-oldyear-old secondary school student found with a double barrelledbarrelled gun inside a secondary school premises was among many young men said to have been arrested by operatives of the Anambra State Police Command for their involvement in cult activities at various locations since the beginning of this month, the police announced on Monday, September 21.

The 16-year-old, Echezoma Metu, was arrested with the weapon inside his school compound at Igboukwu during one of the raids on the hideouts of the cultists.

According to the state police command through a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Haruna Muhammed, a Superintendent of Police, on the Facebook Wall of the command the men were arrested with various weapons while some were picked up at the point of initiation. According to the statement by the police command: "In order to stem the tide of cultism and other nefarious activities in the state especially during this period of ember months, the command Special Anti-Cult Unit (SPACS) raided various hideouts and black spots where cultists are suspected to be hibernating at various locations within the state.

"On the 01/09/2020 at Ogidi /Nkpor axis, 15 suspected cultists were arrested. On the 02/09/2020 at Awka/Amansea axis, six suspected cultists arrested. 0n the 03/09 /2020 at Onitsha /Nkpor axis, five suspected cultists were arrested while on the 04/09/2020 at Oba/Nnewi axis, seven suspected cultists were arrested.

"Also, on the 05/09 /2020, at Nsugbe/Nkwelle-ezunaka axis, six suspected cultists were arrested. On the 06/09/2020 at Ogbunike/Abagana axis, eight suspected cultists were arrested while on the 07/09/2020, at Nawfia, four suspected cultists were arrested.

"On the 08/09/2020, at Nimo/Abagana axis, four suspected cultists were arrested. On the 09/09/2020 at Ifitedunu /Awkuzu axis, 12 suspected cultists were arrested while on the 10/09/2020 at Amikwo, four suspected cultists were arrested. On the 14/09/2020 at Nsugbe/3-3 axis, five suspected cultists arrested. On the 15/09/2020, at Ebenebe /Ugbenu axis, four suspected cultists arrested.

"From all the raids carried out, a total of 80 suspects were arrested out of which 40 were charged to court, 15 were screened and released unconditionally, five were placed under police supervision for being underaged while 20 suspects including a sixteen-year-old cultist, one Echezoma Metu, who was arrested with a double-barrelled gun inside his school compound at Igboukwu are undergoing investigation. "Meanwhile, exhibits recovered include two pump-action guns, ten machetes, five axes, two daggers, three barrettes, one double-barrelled gun, two locally-made pistol and three live cartridges.".