Abia Police Arrest 17 Cultists, Warn Against Cultism

The Abia Police Command has made it clear that there is no room for cultism and crime in the state.

The Commissioner of Police in Abia State, Danladi Isa, shared this warning in a statement on Wednesday. He passed the message through the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Maureen Chioma Chinaka. The statement revealed that the police arrested 17 suspected cultists in the state.

The arrested suspects are all male and their ages range from 18 to 28 years.

The police listed the items recovered from the suspects. These include five short guns, three live ammunition, thirteen mobile phones of different brands, two cutlasses, one axe, and one black beret.

According to the police, “Due to the recent increase in cult-related activities in the State, including an attack on 13/05/2026 at No. 29 Brass Road, Aba, where a young man was shot and killed by suspected cultists; and another attack on 24/05/2026 at Ehere, near Opobo Junction, where another young man was shot.”

The police continued, “The Abia State Police Command, acting on reliable information, took action against the criminals. Officers from the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) successfully arrested seventeen suspected cultists linked to these attacks in Aba, Abia State.”

The suspects were caught at their meeting spots and while heading to commit more crimes. The police also recovered the items mentioned above from them. Investigations are complete and the suspects will face charges in court.

Isa emphasized the commitment of the police to protect lives and property and to prevent and detect crime in the state.

He assured the people of Abia, “There will be no safe haven for cultism and other criminal activities in the state.”

“While the Command continues its awareness campaign through the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV) in schools and communities, we urge the public to work with the Police. Report any suspicious persons or activities to the nearest police station,” CP Isa advised.

Cult-related violence remains a serious issue in parts of Abia State, especially in commercial areas like Aba. Clashes between rival groups have sometimes led to deaths, injuries, and damage to property.

In response, the police have stepped up intelligence-led operations and public awareness campaigns through POCACOV. The goal is to discourage young people from joining cults and to reduce related crimes.