The effort of the Anambra State Police Command to curb crime in the state and ensure a peaceful holiday season has yielded tremendous result as it has arrested over a hundred hoodlums and cultists in the state.

A statement by the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Haruna Mohammed, said that the command had, through its Special Anti Cultism Squad/FSARS and Divisional Police headquarters, arrested 124 hoodlums and cultists from different parts of the state.

Details of the arrests showed that 22 suspects were arrested in the city of Awka, including Okpuno, while 11 were nabbed at 3-3 Area of Onitsha.

Also arrested were eight suspects at Amansea Awka axis, eight suspects arrested at Nibo/Nise, 20 at Nkpor, 11 at Onitsha and 15 at Ekwulobia.

Two other suspects were arrested at Oyi/Nsugbe, 10 suspected cultists were nabbed at Ihiala LGA, five suspects arrested at Eziagulu Aguleri, six at Abata Nsugbe and seven arrested at Amikwo area of Awka.

The statement explained that out of the 124 suspects arrested so far, 37 have confessed to the crimes they committed and have been charged to Court even as 53 were screened and released while 34 others are under investigation.

The statement reads in part: “Between November 26, 2018, to date, the State Command through its Special Anti Cultism Squad/FSARS and Divisional Police headquarters have arrested a total number of 124 suspected cultists/hoodlums from various parts of the state.

“Recoveries made in the course of the arrest include, six cutlasses, four locally made pistols, two axes, over 1000 wraps of dry leaves suspected to be Indian hemp and two regalia belonging to the Aye and Junior Vikings Confraternity.”

Mohammed, however, reiterated the Command’s resolve to ensure that criminals had no hiding place in the state especially during the yuletide and new year seasons adding that anybody apprehended in crime would be decisively dealt with in accordance with the law of the land.