Police arrest 10 suspected cultists, recover firearm, charms in Akwa Ibom
Ten Suspected Cultists Arrested in Akwa Ibom Operations
UYO, Nigeria (AP) — The Akwa Ibom State Police Command announced the arrest of ten individuals suspected of cult activities during a series of intelligence-led operations in the Esit Eket Local Government Area.
In a statement released on Saturday, Public Relations Officer DSP Timfon John confirmed that five of the arrested suspects—Benjamin James, Moses Asuquo, Isaac Jimmy, Akaniyene Ekpo, and Aniekan Samuel—had previously been placed on the command’s watchlist.
During the operations, police recovered a locally made pistol, charms, a machete, a Point-of-Sale (POS) machine, suspected cannabis sativa seeds, and 400,000 naira. These items have been secured by police for further investigation as authorities assess their connections to ongoing cases.
“The operations resulted in the arrest of a total of ten suspected cultists,” John stated. “In addition to the weapons, we recovered cult regalia and other incriminating items.”
Five additional suspects—Destiny Moses, 20, Boniface Clement, 23, Raphael Offiong, 27, Victor Obot, 27, and Sunday Victor, 23—were apprehended at a guesthouse where they were allegedly causing distress in the community.
John reported that police responded to a distress call on July 31, 2026, regarding a group of suspected cultists who had gathered and were reportedly firing weapons into the air. Upon seeing the police patrol, the group dispersed, but five suspects were captured.
Recoveries from the scene included an abandoned red Mercedes-Benz C300, which showed signs of bullet damage, a jackknife wrapped in red ribbon, two face caps associated with banned cult groups, and empty bottles of alcohol.
Preliminary investigations suggest the arrested individuals are affiliated with the Supreme Vikings Confraternity, also known as De Norsemen Klan. Law enforcement efforts are ongoing to locate the remaining suspects and gather additional evidence.
