Police in Anambra have arrested five suspected armed robbers and cultists, the command’s Spokesman, Mr Haruna Mohammed, said in statement in Awka on Friday.

Mohammed said that the command also recovered an Impoverished Explosive Device (IED) sighted behind an Observation Point of policemen attached to 54PMF along Otuocha-Nando road.

He said that arrest and recovery were made by operatives of the recently launched “Operation Puff Adder’’ and patrol teams.

Mohammed stated that on Thursday, at about 9.10 p.m, the operatives and the patrol team attached to Ogidi Division received a distress call that some cult boys were operating around St. Philip’s Church in Ogidi.

“The operatives responded swiftly and rushed to the scene where the hoodlums in their numbers allegedly engaged the patrol teams in gun duel, but were overpowered and four suspects were arrested on the spot.

“The suspects are Chijoke Okolo, 19; Chukwudi Kosiso, 17, of Nkwelle Ogidi; Chukwuebuka Anayo,  22 and Akpu Chinese, 19, both of Ogbuinike in Oyi Local Government Area,” he said.

He said that one locally-made pistol and three live cartridges were recovered from the suspects.

Mohammed claimed that the same gang numbering over 10 men had at about 8 p.m. on the same date, robbed one Ukamaka Amobi, a female, at Ekeweje Ogidi.

He said that the suspects dispossessed their victim of her two telephones and cash of N10, 000, and shot and wounded one Nzubechukwu Okwonko on his hand.

He said that the fifth suspect, one Tochukwu Okeke of Nkwelle Ogidi was arrested in a bush where four other suspects were arrested earlier on same day.

On the IED, Mohammed explained that on sighting the object, police cordoned off the area.

According to him, a white paint bucket filled with shrapnel glued together with cement and connected with two wires, extended to nearby bush was examined and confirmed to be an IED.

He said that the device was successfully deactivated and evacuated to a safer location for demobilisation.

The PPRO urged members of the Public to remain vigilant and report suspicious objects or persons to the nearest police station.