Police Arrest 55 Suspected Cultists In Rivers

Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command have arrested no fewer than 55 persons suspected to be members of cult groups operating in the Diobu area of Port Harcourt, the state capital.

The arrests followed the raids on suspected hideouts of cultists in waterfronts ares of Diobu, a densely populated part of Port Harcourt, in the early hours of Monday and Tuesday.

A source in the area, who pleaded anonymity, said a combined team of personnel drawn from Anti-Cultism Unit, Octopus Strike Force, Mile 1 Police Division and Azikiwe Police Division carried out the raids.

LEADERSHIP observed that the raids and arrests came barely five days after warring cult groups in Diobu reportedly agreed to a peace deal and declared ceasefire in cult war that claimed some lives.

Recall that no fewer than 15 persons were killed during a week-long clash between two factions of a cult group in the Diobu area of the state capital.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the raids and arrests to journalists in Port Harcourt.

Iringe-Koko, who did not disclosed the number of persons that were arrested during the raids, said the raids were in connection with the recent cult clashes in the area.

She stated that the arrested suspects were being profiled and anyone found culpable will be arraigned in court at the end of investigation.