Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
The Anambra State Police Command has disrupted a suspected cult-related gathering in Fegge, Onitsha, arresting a 25-year-old man and launching a manhunt for other members of the group who fled the scene upon sighting police operatives.
According to a press statement released on Sunday by the command's spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the operation was carried out on Sunday, September 27, 2026, following credible intelligence received by operatives of the Fegge Police Station about a gathering at Abagana Street in the area. "Acting swiftly on the information, the operatives moved to the location and arrested Chinedu Ike, male, aged 25 years, while other persons suspected to be members of the group reportedly fled on sighting the Police," Ikenga said. During preliminary interrogation, the arrested suspect allegedly admitted to being a member of the Vikings Confraternity.
Following the arrest, the police said they had commenced intelligence-led efforts to identify, trace and apprehend the fleeing suspects. Investigators are also working to determine the fleeing suspects' possible involvement in cult-related activities and other violent crimes within the area. The Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, has directed the immediate transfer of the case to the Violence and Cult-Related Crimes Unit for discreet investigation and further necessary action.
The CP reiterated that the command would continue to deploy intelligence-led and proactive policing strategies to disrupt cult-related activities, prevent associated acts of violence and bring persons found to be involved in such criminal activities to justice. "The Command therefore urges members of the public to remain vigilant and provide credible information that may assist the Police in identifying and apprehending the fleeing suspects," the statement concluded.
The operation is the latest in a series of police actions against cultism in Anambra State, where cult-related violence has remained a persistent security challenge. In May 2026, the command's Violent Crime Response Unit arrested 17 suspected cultists in a dawn raid on an identified hideout in Awka, recovering cannabis and other exhibits. The suspects were linked to cult-related activities and acts considered inimical to public morality. In September, the command arrested 12 suspects in connection with the murder of Awka-based public announcer and comedian Isaac Nwosu, popularly known as Aiza Nwosu, as well as other cult-related killings in the state capital. The command subsequently denied allegations that it collected N600,000 to release one of the suspects, describing the claim as false and insisting that her arrest and release were connected to the ongoing investigation.
The wider picture of the command's operations in September underscores the scale of the challenge. On September 13, the command announced that it had rescued three kidnap victims and arrested 57 suspects in connection with kidnapping, armed robbery, cult-related violence, murder and other serious offences across the state. The crackdown followed a directive by CP Ama for sustained intelligence-led operations and coordinated pressure on criminal networks operating in Anambra and neighbouring states.
Cultism in Anambra State has been linked to a range of violent crimes, including armed robbery, kidnapping, land disputes and politically motivated attacks. The Vikings Confraternity, which the suspect allegedly admitted to belonging to, is one of several campus-based confraternities that have evolved into criminal gangs operating across Nigeria's South-East and beyond. The rivalry between groups such as the Vikings, the Black Axe and the Buccaneers has been responsible for numerous killings and reprisal attacks in Anambra, particularly in Awka and Onitsha, where the groups maintain strongholds in motor parks, markets and residential neighbourhoods.
The police have consistently urged residents to provide information that could assist in identifying cult members and disrupting their activities. The command's reliance on intelligence-led operations reflects a recognition that cult networks are often deeply embedded in communities and can only be dismantled through the cooperation of residents. The Fegge raid demonstrates that approach in practice: a tip-off from the public led to the arrest of one suspect and the identification of others, and the case has now been transferred to a specialised unit for further investigation. For the people of Fegge and Onitsha, the operation represents a measure of disruption to a network that has operated with impunity in the area. For the police, it is one more step in an ongoing campaign to dismantle cult groups and prevent the violence that accompanies their activities. The suspect in custody is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.
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