The Imo State Police Command has dismantled a cult gang that specialised in phone theft, burglary, and altering the tracking device of phones in Eziobodo, in the Owerri West Local Government Area.

This is even as the Command has arrested several people linked to various phone robberies within the Owerri federal constituency.

Police spokesperson for Imo State command, DSP Henry Okoye, made the disclosure on Saturday morning.

Okoye disclosed that following a complaint by a phone dealer whose shop was burgled on July 11th, 2025, within Eziobodo, operatives of the Anti-Vice commenced an investigation that led to the arrest of a suspect with four brand new but stolen phones.

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Intense investigation led the Police to the principal burglar behind the robbery and another accomplice who specialised in altering phone IMEI, which blocks the tracking of such phones.

Okoye said, “Following a complaint by a phone dealer whose shop in Eziobodo was burgled on 11th July 2025, operatives of the Anti-Vice Unit arrested a suspect in possession of four brand-new stolen phones. Investigations led to the arrest of the principal burglar and another accomplice who specialised in altering phone IMEI numbers to evade tracking”.

He disclosed that all the suspects arrested are currently in custody, while efforts have been intensified to apprehend other members of the syndicate.

Okoye said in another development, operatives of the Orji Police Station on July 31st, 2025, at about 9pm (2100hrs) arrested one Ernest Nweke ‘m’ at Bishop’s Court roundabout, in the Owerri North LGA, following a distress call from concerned citizens.

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The suspect, who is a native of Umuoji in the Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State but resident in the World Bank area of Owerri, was arrested with a locally fabricated pistol after he and three others allegedly robbed one Emmanuel FearGod ‘m’ of Fountain of Knowledge Hostel.

Okoye said, “Nweke, who confessed to being a member of the Vikings cult group, was identified by the victim and arrested while the others fled. Based on his confession, four other suspects: Chamberlain Prince, Akujuobi Godwin, Ugwuelu Joseph, and Frederick Chigozie were arrested the next morning and also confessed to the crime. All suspects are currently undergoing investigation and will be duly prosecuted in court”.

Meanwhile, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, has commended the officers for their swift action and reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to fight crime.

The Police boss urged residents to report suspicious activities to the nearest Police Station or through 0803 477 3600.

Operatives of the Akwa Ibom State Command have arrested two suspected cultists and recovered a firearm and ammunition during a raid in a brothel at Ikot-Udota in Iket Local Government Area of the state

The command’s Public Relations Officer DSP Timfon John, in a statement in Uyo on Saturday said the suspects were arrested on Thursday at 2:30 pm after intelligence revealed that some expelled students had formed a terror group and were engaging in a range of illicit activities—including extortion, rape, and cybercrime.

She said the suspects one Uwemedimo Michael Udah, 29, from Uyo Local Government Area and Prince Emmanuel Amasi-Tito, 32, from Eleme Local Government Area, Rivers State were arrested during the raid.

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According to The PUNCH, Items recovered by the suspects include the following one English Beretta pistol with three rounds of 9mm live ammunition. One laptop, two Android phones. An MTN internet router, a cocktail of suspected drug concoctions and three copies of a power-of-attorney suspected to be stolen

The statement reads in part, ”On Thursday, July 31, 2025, at approximately 2:30pm, operatives of the command successfully arrested two suspected cultists and recovered a firearm, ammunition, and other items during a raid on a hotel in Ikot-Udota, Eket LGA.

”The command was acting on credible intelligence which indicated that expelled students and dropouts from a certain institution (name withheld) had formed criminal gangs and were engaging in a range of illicit activities—including extortion, rape, and cybercrime.

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”When operatives raided a hotel (name withheld), the operation led to the arrest of two suspects namely: Uwemedimo Michael Udah, 29, from Uyo Local Government Area. Prince Emmanuel Amasi-Tito, 32, from Eleme Local Government Area, Rivers State.”

John said preliminary investigation has revealed that the gang is led by two individuals, one Etieno Gideon James and another suspect known only as “Ale,” who are currently at large.

Attributing the successful operation to the command’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of the community, she said efforts are being intensified to arrest others who are at large.

The Delta State Police Command has arrested a woman, identified as Chinaza Ani and a phone repairer, for allegedly picking up a lost phone and unlocking it by flashing.

In a video shared online, police officials warned the public against tampering with found devices, stating that actions as simple as flashing a phone could attract criminal suspicion.

Sharing the video he said, “When you find phones from the ground, pls pick the calls and return the phone to the owner or take it to the nearest police station.”

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Edafe also advised phone repair technicians to avoid flashing or unlocking phones without proper authorisation, even when the owner is unreachable or the password is unknown.

He added, “Secondly, phone repairers should avoid flashing phones because they lost their password. It could lead you to trouble.”

Watch video below:

https://twitter.com/i/status/1951664073197715870https://twitter.com/i/status/1951664073197715870