3 varsity students arrested during initiation in Abia

Three students of Abia State University, two of them in their final year, have been arrested during initiation into a cult group, police have said. Parading the suspects, the State police commissioner, Anthony Ogbizi, said they along with other suspects were arrested at the scene of the crime. One of the suspects, Chika Ogwalachi, 22, […]

Three students of Abia State University, two of them in their final year, have been arrested during initiation into a cult group, police have said.

Parading the suspects, the State police commissioner, Anthony Ogbizi, said they along with other suspects were arrested at the scene of the crime.

One of the suspects, Chika Ogwalachi, 22, said her boyfriend who she said was also a cult member asked her to wait for him at the scene of the initiation. 

“It was while I was waiting that the police came and asked what I was doing there. I told them that I was waiting for my boyfriend. They seized my bag, searched it and found a parcel given to me to keep by a friend of my boyfriend. They unwrapped it and saw it contained Indian hemp. That was how they arrested me,” she said.

Also paraded, 23-year-old final year student of History and International Relations, Salvation Chialu, said he was tricked into joining the cult by people who came to him as friends. 

“I was buying something for them to keep them at bay but three days after my exam as I was packing my clothes, they came into my room and ordered me to follow them. When I saw the fierce look on the face of one of them I hesitated then he used a machete and cut my hand,” he said. He however failed to connect the attack with the initiation.

Princewill Okechukwu, a final year student of Political Science, said he was the leader (Capo) of the Black Axe Confraternity. He said he had been leader for only two weeks when he was arrested in the exam hall while writing his final examination. 

He said seven live cartridges, a dagger, a machete and Black Axe, black and red uniform were recovered from him.