Princewill Okechukwu, A student in Abia State University, Uturu, in his fourth year stated he joined a secret cult on campus because of his ambition of joining politics after school.
Okechukwu was among five suspects who were paraded on Monday by the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Anthony Ogbizi at the Police Officers Mess in Umuahia for suspected cult activities and armed robbery.
The 22-year-old final year student of Political Science said he was the leader of the Black Axe confraternity in the institution.
He claimed that he was sold to the police by traitors, who were interested in his position, and reported him to the police.
“I wasn’t caught in any cult activity; rather I was arrested because I’m the head of the Black Axe fraternity.
“I joined the cult because I have an ambition to join politics after studies; I was told that there were great men that graduated from our school, who are in government and they can help one to succeed in politics,” Okechukwu added.
The suspect, who said he had been a member of the cult for one year, regretted that he had not benefited anything from the sect, promising not to go back to the evil group if he regains his freedom.
“I have not benefited anything from the cult since I joined. The position I occupy was just handed over to me not long ago, and it was the people that wanted my position that betrayed me,” he said.
A female among the paraded suspects, identified simply as Chika, believed she was innocent and denied being a member of the Vikings confraternity, maintaining that she was wrongfully arrested while waiting for someone.
A police source said Chika was arrested close to the scene of initiation of Vikings new members.
The police claimed that Chika was found in company with her boyfriend, who was a member of Vikings, adding that she was acting as an informant for the cult group.
A substance suspected to be Indian hemp was found on her.
One of the suspects, who claimed to be a Lagos-based trader, said he visited his girlfriend on campus on the day that police operatives raided his friend’s hostel in search of the cultists.