Wanted cultists arrested in Cross River

The Cross River State government has arrested some youths suspected to be cultists terrorizing residents of the State.

Among the alleged cultists arrested was one Effiong Okon Bassey, a.k.a Eteka, also popularly known as the Bulldog of Omar Street.

The suspect, DAILY POST, gathered was recently granted amnesty from prison and was declared wanted by the state government for cult-related crime.

The State Security Adviser to Governor Ben Ayade, Hon. Ani Esin told our correspondent on Sunday via phone that Eteka was reported to have been whisked off his hideouts by a team of anti-robbery squad.

Hon. Esin, however, said that Bassey was suspected to be one of the murderers of the former Peoples Democratic Party’s Chairman in Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River State.

According to Esin, the matter is still under investigation.

Consequently, the Special Adviser said that some personal effects of some of the criminals who absconded have been burnt to act as a deterrent to others who would want to acquire illegal wealth through crimes and crime-related offences.

“Some property of the suspects identified to have absconded were burnt. We are going to get all of them in our lists. However, some of the suspected criminals have reported themselves to us and confessed to the crime while others who were wrongly captured were profiled and released.

“We are doing a detailed job to avoid innocent people being arrested. We, however, invite those who have information about the wanted criminals to come forth with such information and would treat them with all amount of confidentiality,” he stated.

Esin, however, thanked the security operatives for supporting the state government in fighting to eradicate crimes and criminal-related cases in the state.