The police have arrested a suspected ritualist in Cross River State and recovered two missing children.
The state’s Commissioner of Police, Hafiz Inuwa, confirmed this on Friday, while briefing journalists at the Criminal Investigation Department in the state capital, Calabar.
According to him, the suspect was arrested on June 27 in Calabar South Local Government Area of the State by personnel from the Anti-Cultism and Kidnapping Squad.
“On June 27, we received a distress call from an unknown number that some group of cultists were undergoing some fortification and rituals. Anti-Cultism and Kidnapping Squad swung into action and arrested one Edet Bassey of 12, Etim Edet Street while others took to their heels,” he said.
Inuwa explained that 49 other suspects were arrested for their alleged involvement in Armed Robbery, kidnapping, Unlawful possession of arms, Child molestation among other crimes.
Items recovered from them included two human skulls, charms and other items used for their rituals.
“Within the period under review, 20 other robbery suspects were arrested, two for stealing, one for murder, seven suspects for cultism, two for defilement, one for child abuse, one for rape, one for admission scam, eight for kidnapping, three for unlawful possession of firearms, two for receiving stolen properties, then two missing but found children.
“So the total number of suspects are 50, while the total number of recovered firearms stands at seven. The sum of N3,500 was recovered from one or two of the suspects,” he said.
Inuwa thanked the public for availing the police information that led to their arrest, vowing to rid the state of criminals.
