16-year-old gunboy, five other underage nabbed in school

A 16-year-old gun-boy and five underage boys have been apprehended by the police in a secondary school at Igboukwu, Anambra State, for various crimes.

Armed with a double-barrelled gun, the boy was arrested with 80 others suspected to be cultists.

Police had launched arrested raids on criminal hideouts and black spots across the state in an operation targeted at ridding the state of criminal elements.

Other lethal weapons recovered from them are two pump action guns, 10 machetes, five axes, two daggers, three barrettes, one double-barrelled gun, two locally-made pistols and three live cartridges.

Commenting on the incident, the state police command’s spokesman, SP Haruna Mohammed, said 40 of the suspects had been charged to court, 15 screened and released unconditionally, while five underage are placed under police supervision.

“In order to stem the tide of cultism and other nefarious activities in the State, especially during this period of ‘ember’ months, the Command’s Special Anti-Cult Unit raided various hideouts and black spots, where cultists were suspected to be hibernating, at various locations within the State.

“From the raids carried out, a total of 80 suspects were arrested out of which 40 were charged, 15 suspects were screened and released unconditionally, five suspects were placed under police supervision for being underage.

“While 20 suspects, including a 16-year-old boy and confessed cultist, who was arrested with a double-barrelled gun inside his school compound at Igboukwu, are undergoing investigation,” he said.