By BANNERNEWS Reporter, Calabar
A distress call from the University of Calabar (UNICAL) has led to the arrest of 11 men over suspected cult initiation activities in a bush near the institution’s Engineering Department.
The suspects were arrested on Thursday, October 22, after the university alerted the police to the alleged activity.
The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eitokpah Sunday Akata, said in a statement on Friday that operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), Satellite Town, Calabar, responded to the report at about 10:30am.
The operatives subsequently joined the university’s internal security personnel to cordon off the area, leading to the arrest of the 11 suspects.
Those arrested were identified as Ogar Favour, 25; David Akpa, 27; Gift Emmanuel, 24; Aaron Favour, 24; David Abubu, 25; Victor Emmanuel Eyibo, 26; Oghenemaro Hendrix, 24; James Ede Joseph, 22; Charles Ekeng, 21; Edu Nkanu, 26; and Ogabor John Odey, 24.
Police said a Lexus 350 saloon car, reportedly abandoned by a fleeing individual, and three motorcycles were recovered during the operation.
The command said the recovered items had been secured for investigation, adding that their connection to the suspected cult-related activity had yet to be established.
It said investigations were ongoing to determine the individual roles of the suspects and the circumstances surrounding the reported incident.
The suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.
