Police arrests Cross River monarch over alleged cult activities

A team of the State Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police Force from Force Headquarters, Abuja, have arrested the Paramount Ruler of Yakurr local government area and the Obol Lopon of Ugep, Obol Ofem Ubana.

It was gathered that SARS team stormed the palace of the Obol Lopon on Tuesday at about 12 noon and arrested Obol Ofem Ubana. This led to a temporary face-off between the youths and the Policemen who had attempted to stop the arrest.

The suspect was consequently taken to Abuja, but a source from the Police Headquarters, Diamond Hill, Calabar denied that the Monarch was taken to Abuja but was taken to the Police Headquarters Diamond Calabar.

“He is being kept at the Police Headquarters, Diamond Hill Calabar, Cross River State,” the source told DAILY POST in Calabar. The Obol Lopon’s arrest and questioning, our investigations revealed were not unconnected with the recent gangster activities in the community.

It would be recalled that the Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on prosecution, Barrister Okoi Obono-Obla had petitioned the Inspector General of Police and other relevant authorities over the killing of his nephew, Jude Iroegbu in a cult war in the area. The suspect who killed Ireoegbu was alleged to have been arrested on Monday in Akwa Ibom state.

One of the youths who pleaded that his name should not be mentioned said that Police came to invite Obol Lopon to Abuja for investigation over the death of Barrister Okoi Obono-Obla’s nephew who died as a Viking cult member.

“Ojor of Ijom ward that shot Obono-Obla’s nephew was arrested yesterday in a bank in Akwa Ibom. So what does he still want from our Obol Lopon? We must not allow them to arrest our Obol Lopon.

“They should have stopped their brother from being a cult member when he was alive. All we need now is peace in our dear Ugep land, our new yam festival is at hand,” he said.

It was be recalled that Ugep started boiling earlier in the year when the Black Axe confraternity accused the Vikings confraternity of killing its member.

The Vikings later claimed to have visited a voodoo priest who said that the Black Axe had killed and hidden the corpse of their member during an initiation but upon reaching the gate of the palace of the Obol Lopon to tell him their findings, they were engaged in a melee with Obol Lopon’s bodyguards whom they accused of been members of the black Axe confraternity.

The melee degenerated into a gangster war which led to the killing of Mr. Jude with Mr. Obla listing the names of suspected gangsters who killed and are accomplices to the murder of his nephew, Mr. Jude.

The Obol’s cabinet were unhappy with Mr. Obla’s activities and asked him to apologise, but he refused. Obol Ofem had earlier in the year declared war on gangstars and said that his leadership will not condone any form of gangstarism.

When DAILY POST contacted the Police Public Relations Officer, Ms Irene Ugbo, she confirmed the arrest of the Paramount Ruler and Obol Lopon of Ugep, Obol Ofem Ubana, explaining that the Monarch was arrested in connection with cult activities in Ugep, in Yakurr local government area of the state.

She said the suspect was still in Calabar as investigations continues, “If any matter is going to Abuja, it must pass through the state headquarters of the Nigeria Police and if there is any need to take it to Abuja we shall look into it in that perspective but for now the suspect is with us.”

Speaking further, she said that the suspect was alleged to have been engineering cult practices in Ugep axis of Yakurr local government area of the state. He was said to have given arms and ammunition to youths to embarked on cult activities. However, she noted that investigations was on going and shortly, he will be charge to court on conclusion of investigations, “but for now, he is with us,” she stated.