5 FUTO cultists arrested in Imo

The Imo state Police Command yesterday paraded five students of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), suspected to be members of the Black Axe confraternity. The suspected student cultists, who were arrested by the Anti-cult Squad of the Imo State Police Command, include Echekwu (24), Desmond(23), Emmanuel (23), Gerald (24) and Camillus (20)

The state Commissioner of Police, MuhammedMusa Kastina, told newsmen that the suspected cultists were arrested on January 31, 2014 in Umuelem Ihiagwa community in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State while allegedly carrying out the initiation of new members.

Katsina disclosed that items recovered from the suspects included one black school bag containing a black beret and an axe insignia, a wallet, student ID card, face towel, two masks, Glo Sim cards and N100, among others.

Similarly, four other students of Federal Polytechnic, Nekede Owerri were paraded before newsmen for their alleged involvement in cultism.

The suspects, whose surnames were withheld include Arodiogu, Okafor, Ohaka, Ahumibe and Goodness. The police commissioner disclosed that a locally-made double-barrelled gun and five live cartridges were recovered from them.

Also paraded alongside the suspected cultists were four member of a syndicate that specialised in the forgery of bank stamps and the certificate of bank staffers with the intention of defrauding unsuspecting members of the public. Items recovered from them include three forged First Bank tellers bearing the name of Obi with N82,000 for house rent.

From GEORGE ONYEJIUWA, Owerri