Akwa Ibom Police Command says it has arrested 20 suspected cultists in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom.
Eket Area Commander, ACP Emeka Nwonyi, made the disclosure at an emergency security meeting with stakeholders on Friday in Eket.
He said the suspected cultists had recently terrorized residents of the locality before they met their waterloo.
"We have made arrest of not less than 20 since the incident started on Sunday, June 10; and we are still arresting them," Nwonyi said.
He said that police was determined to fish out those perpetuating the alleged act, adding that the command would ensure that arrested culprits faced the consequences of their actions.
Nwonyi said that the police was on top of the situation, while calling on the people to give useful information that would lead to the arrest of the criminals in Eket and its environs.
"We are on top of the situation; they will not crush us, we will crush them, I feel bad when people don't give useful information to police to work with.
"I am appealing to you to give us useful information that will help us do our job effectively," he said.
The Area Commander assured the people of Eket that the police would protect life and property in the area.
He lamented that criminal activities, particularly those of cultists, had brought about the waning interest people now had for night life in the area.
Nwonyi used the forum to charge traditional rulers, village heads, youth presidents and other stakeholders in the domain to rather expose criminals to the police than to either keep silent or defend them.
The council chairman, Mr Frank Archibong, condemned the recent killings of people in Eket and its environs, saying "I condemned this act totally we cannot continue like this as a local government.
`We need practicable solutions in solving this issue. We need solutions that will put lasting seal on this matter," he said.
He said the essence of the meeting was to strategize and find practicable solution to ending cultism in Eket local government area and its environs.
"We will bring ideas on how we can best tackle this menace; but if we allow cultism to continue, it may degenerate to a level that we won't be able to control again," Archibong said.
Archibong, who lamented that almost the whole town was infested with cultism, noted that "we must begin to be on the alert.
"We must begin to check the actions of our children and visitors because investigations show that 90 per cent of the people causing problems are not from Eket but other neighbouring local governments.
He said that the Council would fashion out ways to address cultism in secondary schools across the local government.
The council chairman advised parents, traditional institutions, village heads and stakeholders to talk to their children, saying "anyone caught will face the full wrath of the law.''
The Council Boss said that committee would be set up to find lasting solution to cultism in the Eket and its environs.
In his response, Mr Patriot Kings, Director of State Security Service in Eket, said that the department had done a lot to ameliorate the incidence of violence occasioned by cultism in the area.
Kings said that the meeting was timely and the actions of the criminals were condemnable, but added that all hands must be on deck to check the menace.
He said that the directorate was strategising with other security agencies to protect life and property of the citizenry at large and Eket in particular.
"We are advancing security operatives from the headquarters to Eket, while warning the youths to desist from their ways," Kings said.
In attendance were Village heads, Youths Presidents, Security agencies, Traditional rulers, Clan heads, youths leaders among others.
The meeting was organised and sponsored by Chief Security Officer of the LG, Hon. Frank Archibong
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