Police nab suspected cult leader in Rivers

Suspected notorious cult leader, Barikui Amanyie, 35, have been arrested by a detachment of policemen after a manhunt to capture him was declared.

Spokesperson of the Police Command in Rivers, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the arrest of the ‘Iceland’ cult leader in a statement in Port Harcourt on Thursday.

She said that Amanyie, popularly known as ‘Lawyer’ and together with his suspected murderous gang, were responsible for several attacks and killings of innocent victims in the state.

“Amanyie, who hails from Kaanii in Khana area of Rivers, has been on the command watchlist since Dec. 31, 2021, after he and five others murdered Mr Lioneda Lebari.

“Lebari was tracked by the gang after he withdrew his annual savings of N150,000 from a local thrift collector.

“The deceased was tracked to Oil Mill Junction, attacked, robbed, and stabbed multiple times by Amanyie and his gang before they (hoodlums) left him to die from his wounds.

Iringe-Koko said after the matter was reported to the police, a manhunt was launched to arrest the perpetrators of the dastardly act.

“Upon his resumption of duty, the Commissioner of Police, CP Olatunji Disu, directed all tactical units and divisions to intensify efforts to apprehend all wanted criminals in the command watchlist.

“Before Amanyie’s arrest, he had been hiding and switching hideouts regularly to evade arrest.

“However, on Dec. 20, our anti kidnapping unit responded to a tip-off and apprehended the suspect in his hideout at Eleme area of the state,” she added.

The police spokesperson said items recovered from the suspect were locally made pistols and other items believed to be charms.

She said the suspect had confessed to the crime and had already been charged on two-count charges of murder and cultism.

According to her, the police command had also intensified efforts to apprehend other fleeing members of the murderous gang.

“CP Disu has expressed his satisfaction with the promptness of the men of the command in dealing with the suspect on our watchlist.

“The commissioner of police has charged officers not to relent in the campaign against crime as the command gains ground on crime and criminality in the state.

“Disu has vowed that the command would ensure that other members of the gang who murdered Lebari are brought to justice soon,” Iringe-Koko stated.