By Chioma Onuegbu Uyo

AKWA Ibom State Police command Tuesday said it has arrested no fewer than four suspected cultists terrorising Eket local government area of the state and environs.

The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Timfon John who disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen on Monday in Uyo, identified the suspects as Godwin Adam, Isaac Bassey, Emmanuel Hanson Isong.

According to the PPRO, one of the suspects and ring leader identified as Victor Usoro Eyire a.k.a ‘Tender’ and native of Iseyiridua Village, in same Eket LGA had been in the police wanted list.

She stated that all the suspects who confessed to being members of Black Axe Confraternity were arrested in Eket LGA following credible intelligence.

Her words: “Sequel to the complaints received by the Command on an inter-confraternity clash between different cult groups ongoing in Eket and its environs, the Commissioner of Police, CP Waheed Ayilara gave a matching order to the Divisional Police Officer Eket Division, SP Felix Ekpoudom for the perpetrators to be fished out and prosecuted.

READ ALSO: Police Inspector cuts wife’s hand in Jos over N20,000

“In compliance with these directives; on 9/04/2024 at about 4:45 pm, based on credible information at disposal, Operatives of Eket Division arrested one Godwin Adam a.k.a Nasarawa ‘(35) of Idong Useme Village, one Isaac Samuel Bassey (25) of Assang Usong  Inyong, one Emmanuel Hanson Isong ‘(29) of Idung Uso Village, all of Eket L.G.A.

 “Suspects confessed to being members of Black Axe Confraternity, and are also suspected to be involved in the gruesome murder of one Kufre Usoro a k.a Promzy ‘m’ 32yrs said to be a member of Klanz Cult group who was murdered on Thursday April 4, 2024.

“Furthermore, in pursuit of others at large, on 25/4/2024, at about 2:00 pm, the Divisional Police Officer of Eket Division, acting on intelligence gathered swiftly mobilized police operatives from the Division to Eket-Etinan Road and arrested one Victor Usoro Eyire aka Tender ‘m’ 35yrs of Iseyiridua Village, Eket L.G.A.

“The suspect has been on the Command wanted list for being a ring leader terrorizing Eket/Etinan/Ekparakwa Axis.

“Further effort led to the recovery of One English Pump Action Rifle, one Short Machine Gun (SMG), one locally made revolver pistol, eleven rounds of 9mm Ammunitions, and four rounds live cartridges from their Group Operational Base at Ikot Oku Ikono Village, Uyo L.G.A.

“Effort is intensified to arrest other fleeing gangs and possible recovery of their weapons. The Command remains resolute in its determination to rid the state of criminal elements”