The Cross River State Police Command has arrested 11 men over suspected cult initiation activities near the Engineering Department of the University of Calabar (UNICAL).
The suspects were arrested on Thursday, October 22, in a joint operation involving police operatives and the university’s internal security personnel.
In a statement issued on Friday, the command’s spokesperson, ASP Sunday Akata, said operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit, Satellite Town, Calabar, responded to a distress call from the university at about 10:30 a.m.
He said the operatives joined the university’s security personnel to cordon off a nearby bush where the alleged initiation was reportedly taking place.
The suspects 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.
A Lexus 350 saloon car, reportedly abandoned by a fleeing individual, and three motorcycles were recovered during the operation, according to the statement.
The police said investigations were ongoing to establish the individual roles of the suspects and the circumstances surrounding the alleged initiation.
