Army raids cultists’ hideout, kills ring leader

The 2 Brigade Nigeria Army says it troops raided cultists hideout, killing its leader, Akaninyene Jumbo, on Jan. 15, after trailing him to the border between Akwa Ibom and Abia.

The army said this in a statement issued to newsmen in Uyo on Tuesday by the Brigade Assistant Director of Information, Maj. Umar Shuaib.

“The gallant troops of 2 Brigade Nigerian Army had on Monday 15 January 2018 acting on tipoff trailed a notorious cultist and renowned killer Akaninyene Jumbo Uko Alias Isopafit at Inyih village, a border town between Akwa Ibom and Abia states.

“The culprit was known for terrorising the inhabitants of Ukanafun Local government Area in Akwa Ibom State.

“He perpetrated the killings of two Nigerian Police personnel and a Truck driver in Ukanafun local government area on 17 November last year.

“Also masterminded the killing of a commissioner’s sister and two others in Ikot Oko Osun community in Ukunafun local government area on 19 November 2017,’’ the statement read in part.

It said that the suspects had been evading arrests after all the incidents.

The statement added that after the first operation, the gallant troops following another tipoff invaded the hideout of the remaining gang members at Ikpe village in Eton Ekpo Local Government Area on Jan. 16.

“The troops engaged the hoodlums and killed two members, Aniebet Effiong Udoh and Thankgod Friday Osiokpaphi,’’ it said.

According to the statement, the two are said to be second in command to the kingpin.

The statement further said that some of the remnants of the cultists escaped with gunshot wounds.

It stated that items recovered from the suspects included one pump action gun, two locally made short guns, 13 live cartridges, eight expended cartridges, two dane guns and two cutlasses.

It added that their corpses had been deposited at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital mortuary.

The statement said that the Commander, 2 Brigade Nigerian Army, Brig. Gen. Abdu Ibrahim Hassan, has assured law abiding citizens in the area that the Brigade will do everything within its powers to protect their lives and property.

The statement solicited the support and cooperation of the public by reporting any form of crime to appropriate security agencies. (NAN)

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