The Cross River Police Command has arrested 10 suspected members of the Axe Men Confraternity and recovered a locally made pistol and other exhibits in Abini community, Biase Local Government Area of the state.
The suspects were apprehended by operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit, Sector 2, following sustained intelligence gathering, surveillance, and operational follow-up.
According to a statement issued by the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Eitokpah Sunday, on Saturday, the operation followed a petition submitted to the Commissioner of Police by the Abini community last month over alleged cult activities in the area.
The petition, as gathered, assisted the policemen in identifying and tracking the suspected cultists within the community.
The suspects were identified as Jester Enyi, 25; Godwill Mansala, 22; Prosper Okey, 23; Emmanuel Uno, 26; Onyebuchi Eyong, 22; Elisha Emmanuel, 27; Christian Esu, 25; Daniel Uno, 23; Nelson Ibete, 23; and Roland Uno, 18.
Items recovered during the operation included one locally made pistol, a battle axe, a dagger, a beret bearing a secret cult logo, a pair of police camouflage trousers and a mobile cardigan.
The police said the suspects allegedly admitted during preliminary interrogation that they belonged to the Axe Men Confraternity.
The Commissioner of Police, Ajo Geoffrey, commended the VCRU operatives for their professionalism and effective use of intelligence.
Geoffrey said that the operation demonstrated the practical application of the command’s D-C-I-I-D-D-T policing strategy, particularly intelligence-led and community policing, in identifying and disrupting criminal activities before they escalated into threats to public safety.
The police boss urged residents to continue providing credible and timely information to the command, stressing that community partnership remained essential to effective crime prevention
.
He disclosed that efforts had been intensified to arrest other suspects connected with the case, adding that the arrested suspects would be subjected to due process and diligent investigation.
The CP assured residents that anyone found culpable would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.