By Davies Iheamnachor, with agency report

The Police Command in Rivers State, yesterday, said it arrested 20 suspected high profile criminals in the state and recovered 16 exotic vehicles from them.

Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Zaki Ahmed, announced this at a briefing in Port Harcourt.

Ahmed said 11 of the 20 suspects were kidnappers while others were armed robbery and car snatching suspects.

According to him, most of the suspects were arrested by the Federal Special Anit-Robbery Squad, FSARS, in the state.

The commissioner said 15 cars of different makes, nine pump action guns and 20 locally made pistols, and several ammunition were recovered from the suspects.

He advised members of the public whose cars were stolen to come with relevant documents for identification and collection.

Ahmed said about 300 cult members had surrendered their guns and 47 cutlasses and axes, among others, to the command through Salvation Ministries Church in Port Harcourt.

He said this came after they repented and became “born again” Christians.

Ahmed commended Pastor David Ibiyeomie,General Overseer of Salvation Ministries, for taking the gospel to the creeks and urged other clerics to borrow a leaf from Ibiyeomie, saying the command had robust relationship with religious bodies in the state.

He said the ex-cult members were now undergoing skill acquisition training, noting that “the command is investigation the cases and would arraign the suspects in court at the end of the investigations.”

In his contribution, Pastor Ibiyeomie said about 300 repented cult members were undergoing skill acquisition training.

Represented by Oye Allen,  Ibiyeomie said the ex-cultists would be empowered after the training programme to enable them to be useful to themselves and society