Anambra state police command has apprehended two members of vigilance group, who allegedly attempted to murder four persons for alleged ritual purposes at Otuocha in Anambra East local government area.
The victims were cut with machete by the nine member gang who kidnapped them in their farm at Igbariam in Anambra East council area.
Reacting to the development, Anambra state police commissioner, Hosea Karma, who confirmed the incident, maintained that anybody pretending to be vigilante operative without the approval of the traditional ruler and the president general of that community under the supervision of the divisional police officer would be seen as illegal and treated like a criminal.
Karma, therefore charged the residents of Anambra state to report cases of attacks to the nearest police station for quick response, adding that the incident took place on November 3 , 2015.
Furthermore, he warned against the use of human blood for sacrifice, while assuring that anyone found committing such a crime would be made to face the full weight of the law.
The Nation gathered Friday that the aim of the nine man gang was to use the four victims for ritual purposes at Nengo Akpaukwu Ifite Nteje shrine before the police stormed the place.
According to one of the victims Mr. Paul Obiefuna from Igbariam, “I was working in my farm with my two sons and two other labourers, when the armed gang rounded us up.
“They bounded us and took us to the shrine where they humiliated us and ready to kill us before the police swooped on them because one of my sons escaped from them to a hidden place where he contacted the police.
“Those people came with various kinds of weapons including guns, machete and sticks, but we thank God for using one of my sons to save the others,” Obiefuna said.
Before they were rescued by the police, the victims had been inflicted with various degrees of injuries, while the hoodlums stripped them of all their belongings including cash, phones, clothes and others.
Another victim, Chinedu Obiefuna, alleged that they were forced to swear never to reveal what happened to them or die by the suspects.
The traditional ruler of Igbariam, Igwe Nkeliuwa Nkeli, said he got the information from one of the victims who escaped, while calling the relevant authorities to unravel the mystery behind the attack with a view to bringing the culprits to book.
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