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From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested two men suspected to be cultists involved in ritualistic activities in Imo.
The NSCDC state commandant , Mr Matthew Ovye, said this while parading the suspects in Owerri, on Wednesday.
Ovye said that the Command’s Rapid Response Squad arrested the suspects along the Okigwe road, in the state capital metropolis, while they were attempting to forcefully dispossess a second year student of the Imo State University , simply identified as Neme, of her belongings on her way to the campus.
He said that the suspects used substance suspected to be charms on their unsuspecting victim and were about to lure her into carting away her belongings before the intervention of his men.
“ They are locally called ‘One Chance People’. They usually use minibuses to disguise as commercial commuters to carry out their nefarious activities using charms which we also recovered from them.
“ We’re currently investigating them and we will prosecute them in due course because they are sabotaging the efforts of government and contributing to insecurity “, he said.
He advised Imo people to be cautious when boarding buses and report suspected persons to the appropriate authorities.
He however assured the general public that the NSCDC was “synergising with other security agencies through intelligence sharing “ to nip the ugly trend in the bud.
Speaking, the 20 year-old victim, simply identified as Neme, said : “ I was on my way to school at about 8.00am on Monday when a minibus stopped in front of me, with two men alighting from the bus.
“ They asked me to remove my bangle claiming it’s a symbol of their cult group and to buy them something to appease them but I made a call and they immediately fled “, she said.
One of the suspects, 30 year-old Ifeanyi Ogu, of the Aboh Mbaise council area of Imo said he simply stopped Neme to admire her bangle , express interest in her and exchange contacts.
The second suspect, 23 year-old Mr Stanley Ibeh, of the Mbaitoli council area of Imo totally denied involvement in the events leading to their arrest.
