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Tension gripped parts of Awka, the Anambra State capital, following a major security operation by operatives of the Anambra State Police Command who raided a suspected cult den and arrested 17 young men linked to alleged criminal activities.
The early morning operation, executed by officers attached to the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), was carried out after intelligence reports identified the location as a suspected operational base for cult-related gatherings, drug abuse, and other activities believed to be contributing to insecurity within the metropolis.
According to security sources, the suspects — mostly between the ages of 17 and 30 — were rounded up during the surprise raid while allegedly engaging in suspicious nocturnal activities.
Items recovered from the hideout included substances suspected to be Cannabis Sativa, condoms, petroleum jelly containers, and other exhibits considered useful to ongoing investigations.
Police investigators also disclosed that preliminary findings allegedly linked some of the arrested suspects to the dreaded Vikings Confraternity, widely known as “Bagger,” a cult group frequently associated with violent supremacy battles, intimidation, and organised criminal operations across parts of the South-East.
The raid is said to be part of intensified security offensives introduced by the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, CP Ikioye Orutugu, aimed at dismantling criminal camps, curbing cultism, and reducing the growing influence of drug-related crimes among youths.
Reacting to the development, the Police Commissioner warned criminal groups operating in the state to either abandon their activities or face decisive law enforcement actions.
“Anambra must remain safe for law-abiding citizens. We will continue to identify and destroy criminal hideouts wherever they exist. Cultism, drug abuse, and violence have no place in our communities,” the CP declared.
Police authorities further revealed that investigations have been expanded to determine whether the suspects are connected to other violent crimes recently recorded within Awka and surrounding communities.
Meanwhile, residents have applauded the operation, describing it as a bold intervention against rising concerns over youth involvement in cultism, drug abuse, and other social vices threatening public peace in the state capital.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, reassured residents that the Command remains committed to proactive policing and sustained security operations targeted at criminal networks across Anambra State.
