The owner of a popular hotel in Oba, Anambra State, where the Agunechemba security outfit uncovered a shrine and over 30 graves, is currently on the run.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s security task force demolished the facility following the shocking discovery.
During the raid, security operatives found assorted charms and other ritual items inside the hotel premises.
Although a few arrests were made, including some sex workers, the hotel owner managed to escape before the operation.
The incident has drawn comparisons to the infamous 1996 Otokoto saga in Owerri, Imo State, which revolved around the ritual killing of an 11-year-old boy.
Governor Soludo had launched the Agunechemba security outfit to tackle the worsening insecurity in Anambra, which has defied previous efforts.
Reports suggest that suspected ritualists, kidnappers, and criminals operating under the guise of real estate developers and cryptocurrency traders are rampant in the state.
A member of one of the local vigilance groups, who spoke anonymously, assured residents that security forces, including the military, police, navy, DSS, and various local outfits, are working together to restore safety.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Tochukwu Ikenga, could not be reached for comment, while a senior police officer declined to speak on the matter.
Security operatives carried out the raid on Saturday evening, arresting a few suspected kidnappers alongside the sex workers.
The crackdown on criminal hideouts has intensified in recent weeks, with no fewer than five buildings demolished across the state.
According to Anambra’s new homeland law, lands reclaimed from demolished structures are to be taken over by the government.
The Nation