A covert police operation in Uyo has led to the arrest of two suspected cult leaders believed to be coordinating an initiation exercise for members of the Black Axe confraternity.
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command said the suspects were caught after intelligence reports pointed to a planned cult initiation around a secondary school axis along Oron Road in the state capital.
Police spokesperson DSP Timfon John, who briefed reporters at the command headquarters in Ikot Akpanabia, said officers moved in on the location on Sunday evening. According to her, members of the group attempted to escape immediately they noticed security operatives, abandoning their vehicle in the process.
She said a red mini-bus left behind at the scene was traced and pursued, leading to the arrest of two men identified as Anietie Isaac and Unyime Effiong after a chase operation.
Items recovered during the raid included a ceremonial axe, a calabash, an alcoholic drink, incense materials, coloured handkerchiefs and a sticker linked to the Neo Black Axe movement.
Police said the suspects are now in custody while investigations continue, adding that more arrests may follow.
The state Commissioner of Police, Baba Azare, reaffirmed the command’s crackdown on cult-related crimes and warned that initiation gatherings and secret cult activities will be aggressively disrupted. He also called on residents to keep supplying useful intelligence to security agencies.
