The Anambra State Police Command has raided and foiled a cult initiation ceremony at Nawfia, Njikoka Local Government Area of the state.

During the raid, the police arrested six suspects and also recovered one pump-action gun, two live cartridges, two cutlasses, one Lexus Sports Utility Vehicle, among others.

In a press statement released on Tuesday, the Spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, stated that the operatives, acting on intelligence-driven information, carried out the exercise on June 15.

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Ikenga said, “Anambra police operatives on June 15, 2025, by 9.30am, acting on intelligence-driven information, foiled a cult initiation ceremony at Nawfia, Njikoka Local Government Area.

“During the raid, the team arrested six suspects and recovered one Jojef pump action gun, two live cartridges, one golden coloured Lexus SUV with Reg No: ATN 202 AE, two cutlasses, two scissors, one cap with inscription of the Supreme Vikings confraternity, some charms, hard substance and other incriminating items.

“The suspects include: Nwadike Chibuike, Anierobi Precious, Raphael Ebube, Ezechi Benjamin, Okafor Chidera, and Chiema Okoye, all males between 20 and 30 years old.

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“They are currently undergoing Police interrogation to get more insight into their modus operandi, after which the case will be charged to Court on the conclusion of the investigations.”

According to him, the Command, while noting the connection between cultism and other serious crimes, remained committed to actively working to combat cultism and other related crimes in the state.

Survivors of the recent deadly killings in Yelewata, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, have spoken out in anguish, recounting how their family members were killed and homes set ablaze by suspected herdsmen.

In a video interview with News Central TV, a survivor, Michael Ajah, narrated the trauma of losing at least 20 members of his family in the assault.

“My people, my family members, they died in this house, 11. Some died in the other store, eight, and some died here. My whole family members that died yesterday, the day before yesterday, on that very day, there were 20.” he said.

“That is my own family members. I’m not talking about any other thing. That is my own family members,” Ajah added.

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He added that his goods and property were also lost in the attack saying, “This is my store. Those shops are my stores. Those places are burnt. My house is up there, that place also is burnt.

“And the store where I pack my goods, I store my goods everywhere. That’s burnt. They burnt my clothes. They burnt everything. They burnt our food. All my family members.

“What we came out with is our clothes, what we wear. And I, standing here, this is what I came out with. And this is the only thing that I have. There is nothing with me,” he said holding the cloth he was wearing.

Ajah further described how the attackers stormed their home late in the night during a heavy rain saying, “On that very day, rain started in the evening. So we entered. I slept there. So, I was sleeping. Around 10.20, we heard gunshots at the back there. So, before we could notice that something has happened, fulani men, they entered this place.”

He added that he was certain they were Fulani men because he heard them speak.

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“They were speaking and I was inside the room and I heard them clearly, not somebody told me. I was inside the room there and they surrounded that room. I escaped narrowly. My brother was burnt in this house. Some escaped. My dad was burnt in this house,” he said.

In a separate interview, another resident, Bature Bartholomew, revealed that he lost his younger brother, his sister-in-law, and his mother in the attack, all of whom were said to have been burnt alive in their home.

Bartholomew added that his goods worth millions of naira were burnt during the attack.

He said, “I can’t say precisely because it’s over millions of naira. I store grains like guinea corn, maize, soya beans, rice.

“My younger brother stays here. he’s no longer alive, he was burnt inside this house. He was burnt in this house, yes him, his wife, mother and many others were burnt in this house.”

President Bola Tinubu has also rescheduled his official visit to Kaduna State saying that he will travel to Benue State on Wednesday as part of renewed efforts to foster peace and address the persistent conflict affecting communities in the state.

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The Anambra State Police Command has confirmed the death of a police inspector, Okolie Amechi, who was accidentally shot by his 10-year-old son.

It said that the incident occurred on Sunday evening.

It explained that the son, who was unaware of the state of the AK 47 assigned to Amechi, pulled the trigger and struck his father in the back.

The Command also said the the inspector’s second child was struck in the hand due to the accidental discharge.

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“The Anambra State Police Command expressed sadness over the unfortunate incident that resulted in the death of Police Inspector Okolie Amechi in Awka.

“The son unaware of the state, of the AK 47 rifle assigned to the inspector, pulled the trigger and struck the inspector in the back and his second child in the hand,” a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, read in part.

It further noted that Amechi was confirmed dead at a hospital, adding that the rifle had been recovered.

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“Regrettably, Inspector Amechi was taken to the hospital and was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty while the second victim is responding to treatment.

“Also, the rifle has been recovered and the remains of the deceased have been deposited in the morgue.

“The Command while wishing the second victim a quick recovery, condoles the family and friends of the late inspector.”