The Rivers State Police Command has arrested two suspected cultists, including a serving police officer and a university student, following a security operation at the University of Port Harcourt (UniPort).
In a statement issued on Friday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, the Command said the arrests were made on September 26, 2025, during activities marking the signing out of final-year students at the institution.
According to the statement, the university’s internal security team had initially confronted the suspects — Police Corporal Onwukwe Godswill, attached to Elimgbu Division, and a 200-level Biomedical Technology student, Ifeanyi Israel — over fears of a looming clash with rival cult groups on campus.
Operatives of the Anti-Cultism Unit (ACU) were immediately dispatched to the scene, leading to the duo’s arrest.
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A search conducted on the suspects resulted in the recovery of:
Two locally made pistols
Four rounds of live cartridges
Two rounds of 9mm live ammunition
One small axe
The Command further disclosed that a raid on Corporal Onwukwe’s residence led to the discovery of one locally made pistol and two machetes.
“The suspects and the exhibits are currently in custody as investigations continue to unravel the full extent of their involvement in cultism and other related activities,” the police stated.
The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga A. Adepoju, reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to rid the state of criminal elements, warning that “there will be no hiding place for criminals.”
He urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to security agencies, stressing that public cooperation remains vital in ensuring a safer state.