A joint security team comprising the Nigerian police and operatives of the Anambra State Vigilante have arrested six suspects for various crimes, including armed robbery and vandalism
The police also have also launched a manhunt for a notorious cultist and arms dealer known by the alias “Kiss Me” said to be terrorising residents of Oko Community in Orumba North Local Government Area of the state.
According to a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the suspects were arrested during a sustained security operation targeting criminal elements in the area.
The sweep, part of an ongoing statewide initiative to restore order, has yielded significant results, including the recovery of an English Beretta pistol and a large quantity of vandalized electric cables.
Ikenga said that on the evening of May 19, two young men identified as 25-year-old Anagor Chinedu and 23-year-old Anagor Rapuluchukwu, were arrested in Ifite Village, Oko.
According to the police spokesperson, the suspects confessed to being members of a cult group known as the Beggars’ Confraternity and identified their alleged armourer as the fugitive known as “Kiss Me.”
A Beretta pistol was recovered during the arrest.
“The suspects confessed to being members of beggars’ confraternity and mentioned their armourer as “kiss me.”
“Meanwhile, the operatives have launched a manhunt operation aimed at dislodging the criminal group,” Ikenga added.
In a separate incident, four other suspects, Chukwuka Usulor, Chukwuemeka Michael, Ikenna Oke, and Ebuka Okeke, were arrested while allegedly vandalising electrical infrastructure at the permanent site of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko.
Ikenga said that the swift response by security operatives led to the recovery of several bundles of stolen electric cable wires.
He said that the police had intensified their search for “Kiss Me”, believed to be a key figure in a local cult group and a major arms supplier in the region.
Residents of Oko Community and surrounding areas have long lived in fear of the suspect, whose operations are said to have led to multiple violent incidents and disturbances over the past year.
The latest arrests come amid rising concerns over cult-related violence and infrastructural sabotage in Anambra State.
In recent months, several parts of the state have seen spikes in gun violence, cable theft, and gang clashes, many of which have been linked to rival cult groups.
In late 2024, security forces in Nnewi and Ihiala recorded similar arrests involving cult members and arms smugglers.
Notably, the suspect known as “Kiss Me” has been on the police radar since 2023, when he was first linked to a string of attacks on community leaders and traders in Oko and Ufuma.
Ikenga reiterated the resolve of the Anambra State Police Command to rid the state of criminal elements, stating:
“The Command remains committed to denying criminals the space to commit havoc.”
He called on residents with relevant information to assist security agencies in tracking down the fugitive and ensuring sustained peace in the region.