Seven arrested as Soldiers invades cultists crib in Rivers State

Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai

Men of the 2 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, on Thursday stormed Ibaa Community in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State and arrested over seven suspected cultists in the area.

 The Nigerian Army had intensified its operations in some communities in the state in a bid to curb cult activities.

 Recently, cultism and its related activities had ruptured the relative peace enjoyed by the people of the state, hence the intensified security operation.

 In the operation, Southern City News learnt that seven suspected cultists, including one Mercury Peter, were apprehended by the security operatives.

 A community source, Mr. Bright Amadi, disclosed that the soldiers also allegedly set ablaze some household property belonging to some of the cultists who fled on sighting the soldiers.

 Amadi noted that the security operatives met the hoodlums in a hideout around Mgbere village in Ibaa community.

 The military in its operations had raided Obelle and Elele Alimini communities all in Emohua areas in search of cultists.

 When contacted, the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Captain Eli Lazarus, confirmed that seven suspected cultists were arrested.

 Lazarus noted that the army recovered one pistol and one pump action rifle during the operation.

 He added that the army would continue its raid of criminal hideouts until cultism and criminality were tamed in the state.

 Meanwhile, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Emohua, Mr. John Wokoma, has banned the operation of commercial motorcycles popularly called okada from 6pm to 6am in communities across the LGA.

 Wokoma said the ban was in a bid to curb the resurgence of violent attacks by suspected cultists who he noted were using okada in their activities.

 Wokoma, however, ordered security agencies to arrest and prosecute any offender, adding that the ban will last till the security challenge in the area was brought under control.