The Cross River State Police Command has arrested 11 male suspects following a joint security operation targeting suspected cult initiation activities near the Engineering Department of the University of Calabar (UNICAL).
The operation, conducted in collaboration with the university’s internal security personnel, forms part of the Command’s efforts to prevent cult-related violence and strengthen security around the institution.
According to a press release issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eitokpah Sunday Akata, the operation took place on October 22, 2026, at about 10:30 a.m., following a distress call from the university over suspected cult initiation activities in a nearby bush.
Acting on the information, operatives of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), Satellite Town, Calabar, joined the university’s security personnel to cordon off the area, leading to the arrest of the suspects.
Police Identify 11 Arrested Suspects
The police identified the suspects as:
- Ogar Favour, 25
- David Akpa, 27
- Gift Emmanuel, 24
- Aaron Favour, 24
- David Abubu, 25
- Victor Emmanuel Eyibo, 26
- Oghenemaro Hendrix, 24
- James Ede Joseph, 22
- Charles Ekeng, 21
- Edu Nkanu, 26
- Ogabor John Odey, 24
The Command said investigations were ongoing to establish the individual roles of the suspects and the circumstances surrounding the reported activities.
Lexus 350, Three Motorcycles Recovered
Items recovered during the operation include a Lexus 350 saloon car, reportedly abandoned by an individual who fled the scene, and three motorcycles.
The police said the recovered items had been secured for investigative purposes, adding that no connection between the vehicles and the suspected cult-related activities had been established at the time of the announcement.
Police Reaffirm Commitment to Combating Cultism
The Commissioner of Police, CP Ajo Geoffrey Ordue, reiterated the Command’s commitment to preventing cultism and other violent crimes through proactive policing, credible intelligence and collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
The Command also urged members of the public to provide credible information that could assist security agencies in preventing crime and protecting lives and property.
It added that investigations into the incident were continuing and assured that the process would be conducted professionally and in accordance with the law.
The police further emphasised that all the suspects are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.
Source: ASP Eitokpah Sunday Akata, Police Public Relations Officer, Cross River State Police Command.
Date: October 23, 2026.
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