The Anambra State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of an alleged cult member linked to a series of violent crimes and killings that rocked Oko in Orumba North Local Government Area of the state in June.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the Public Relations Officer of the command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the arrest of the 25-year-old suspect identified as Chukwujekwu Michael Okoye, popularly known as "Bus-Stop", an alleged member of the Aye Confraternity cult group.
Ikenga stated that Okoye was arrested on Monday by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) at Awkuzu.
According to the police spokesperson, Okoye’s arrest follows the bloody attacks of June 19, 2025, at Total Junction and Tipper Junction in Oko, which left two people dead, two injured, and two others abducted.
He said the abductees were later released after ransom payments.
Ikenga said the police recovered an automatic pump-action gun and two mobile phones from the suspect, believed to have been taken from victims.
He said Okoye confessed to being a high-ranking member, referred to as a "Lord" in the Aye Confraternity and admitted his involvement in the June 19 violence.
He also disclosed that the gang had scheduled another initiation ceremony and a rival cult attack for the same day he was arrested.
“He confessed to being an active member of the Aye Confraternity Cult group and currently holding a position as a Lord,” Ikenga said.
“He also stated how they have perfected plans for the initiation ceremony and rivalry cult attack yesterday 7th July 2025 and revealed details of how him and six (6) other gang members attacked Oko on the 19th of June 2025.”
Ikenga said the command has launched a manhunt for six other gang members identified by the suspect, with plans underway to dismantle the wider criminal network operating within the state.
Anambra State, particularly communities like Oko, Nanka, and Ihiala, has witnessed a troubling rise in cult-related violence in recent years.
In April 2023, over 10 persons were reportedly killed in a 48-hour clash between rival cult groups in Awka.
Similarly, in August 2024, police uncovered a suspected cult initiation den in Nnewi, rescuing six teenagers and arresting multiple suspects.
Cultism, once confined to tertiary institutions, has now spilt into rural communities, with cult groups engaging in armed robbery, extortion, and brutal inter-group violence.
Efforts by the police, including community policing and deployment of tactical teams, have resulted in several arrests, but insecurity persists in some flashpoints of the state.
The Command urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity, promising that further developments regarding Okoye’s gang and ongoing investigations will be communicated.
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