Men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Delta State Police Command on Saturday swooped on members of the Neo-Black Movement of Africa, aka Black Axe.
The raid, according to the Police Public Relations Officer, Lucky Uyabeme, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, yielded the desired result as 29 of them were arrested.
They had assembled at one of the popular Inns – Dester Hotel, situated along the ever busy Nnebisi Road within Asaba metropolis for their annual anniversary celebration, before the operatives, who acted on tip-off, stormed the hideout.
The PPRO listed those nabbed to include nine girls, suspected to be students of some tertiary institutions in the oil rich state, and its neighboruing Edo and Anambra States and 20 boys, among them a serving member of the National Youth Service Corps.
He said three expended cartridges, one NYSC fez cap, one NYSC identity card bearing Asikodi Chiedu (paraded among the suspects), one banner with inscription “Black Axe” and one white Black Berry phone, full of mischievous messages, were recovered from them.
The PPRO, who lamented activities of cult members across the state, wondered why pupils of secondary schools have keyed into the crime.
While he said those arrested are cooling off at the command headquarters in Asaba, Uyabeme assured residents of the state that they would soon appear in court.
Meanwhile, a Spotlight Club, suspected to be another criminal hideout, along the Benin-Agbor-Asaba Expressway, was also combed.
Uyabeme said 32 suspected hoodlums, including 10 girls, were arrested, maintaining that investigation was on to determine their culpability.
The police spokesman warned cultists across the state flee or quickly surrender before the long arm of the law catch up with them.
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