Hunchback,15 others arrested for cult related activities, robbery in Bayelsa

Bayelsa state police command, has arrested a  31-year-old man with a hunch and 15 teenagers for cult activities, armed robbery and kidnapping.

According to Commissioner of Police, Mr. Asuquo Amba, the suspects whom were paraded at the Police headquarters on Thursday were apprehended in the last three weeks at various locations in the state through renewed patrol efforts of the command.

29 persons from the suspects were said to be arrested in connection with cultism and armed robbery, while two were arrested for kidnapping. Different types of firearms, including nine locally-made pistols, were recovered during the operations.

Amba said, 

“On July 21, 2017, at about 10.30am, policemen from the Azikoro division responded to a distress call that cults were entering the Azikoro Community Secondary School.

“Consequently, plain-clothes policemen were dispatched to the scene and arrested one James Loveday, an undergraduate of the Federal University, Otuoke, with a locally-made revolver pistol.”

Amba also revealed that the gang member confessed to killing one Luke Inengite, a 30-year-old man from Agbura community, whose corpse was found in a pond in the community.

“On July 24, 2017, one Joy Epidi, a housewife, was kidnapped along Imiringi Road. The kidnappers called the husband and demanded a ransom.
“Consequently, police operatives swung into action and arrested one Timipre Moni. The suspect had earlier called a businessman, Doubra Komuko, threatening him to part with N5m or his family would be kidnapped,” the commissioner added.

One of the suspects, 31-year-old Prince Tatoh, an indigene of Otuokpoti in the Ogbia area of the state, said he was a cult member.

Tatoh, who has a hunch back, said, “I am a leader of the dreaded cult group, the Highlander.”