Police apprehend newly initiated cultist, two others in Akwa Ibom

Akwa Ibom State Police Command says its operatives have raided a criminal hideout in Abak road, Uyo, and arrested three members of the Vikings confraternity among whom was a fresh initiate, Ubong Matthew.

The command said the suspects are all students of a polytechnic in the state.

Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, who disclosed this in a statement in Uyo Monday, said investigations revealed that Ubong Matthew was alleged to have been forcefully initiated into the cult group on July 5, 2026, during a ceremony reportedly masterminded by Dick Udofia at the same location.

She said during the raid, officers recovered substances suspected to be Ice (methamphetamine), cannabis commonly referred to as Indian hemp, and other items linked to drug consumption.

The command spokesperson said in a separate operation, operatives arrested one Joshua Akpan, a 32-year-old security guard employed by a private security company.

The suspect was said to have been involved in vandalizing and stealing armoured electrical cables and other electrical installations from churches, residential buildings, factories and government facilities.

John said upon search of the suspect’s residence, cut-to-size armoured cables, bundles of vandalized electrical wires, pliers, an iron-cutting blade, a hammer and other tools suspected to have been used in committing the crimes were recovered.

She said the suspect confessed to vandalizing and stealing electrical cables from the Catholic Cathedral where he had been employed as a security guard, adding that all suspects would be charged to court upon completion of investigations.

The Commissioner, CP Baba Azare, while commending the operatives for their professionalism, reiterated the command’s commitment to ridding the state of crime and criminality.