In a bold and sweeping operation to cleanse Anambra State of rising criminality, a joint security team comprising operatives of the Nigerian Police and the Anambra State Vigilante Service has arrested six suspects involved in cultism, armed robbery, and the vandalisation of critical infrastructure. The police have also intensified a manhunt for a notorious arms dealer and cult kingpin, known only by the chilling alias “Kiss Me,” who is believed to be the mastermind behind a wave of violence terrorising Oko community and surrounding areas.
The security crackdown, described as part of a sustained offensive against criminal networks, has already begun yielding significant results. According to a statement released by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the operation has led to the recovery of an English Beretta pistol and a large cache of stolen electric cables.
Two key suspects — 25-year-old Anagor Chinedu and 23-year-old Anagor Rapuluchukwu — were arrested on May 19 in Ifite Village, Oko. During interrogation, the duo confessed to being members of a dreaded cult group known as the Beggars’ Confraternity. Most shockingly, they fingered their group’s armourer as the elusive “Kiss Me,” who is now at the centre of an intensive dragnet.
“The suspects confessed to being members of the Beggars’ Confraternity and mentioned their armourer as ‘Kiss Me’,” Ikenga stated. “Our operatives have launched a full-scale manhunt aimed at dislodging this criminal network.”
In a related operation, four additional suspects — Chukwuka Usulor, Chukwuemeka Michael, Ikenna Oke, and Ebuka Okeke — were arrested while allegedly vandalising electrical facilities at the Federal Polytechnic, Oko. Their arrest led to the recovery of several bundles of stolen electric cables, a testament to the growing menace of infrastructure sabotage in the state.
The man known as “Kiss Me” has become a name synonymous with dread. Believed to be a top-ranking member of a local cult and an arms supplier with tentacles across multiple communities, he has allegedly orchestrated several violent attacks, including assaults on community leaders and local traders in both Oko and Ufuma. Police intelligence indicates that he has been on the radar of law enforcement since 2023.
Residents of Oko and its environs say the shadowy figure has operated with near-impunity, spreading fear through gun violence, gang clashes, and cultist activity. His network is suspected to be responsible for the surge in criminal incidents that have plagued parts of Anambra in recent months.
The latest crackdown is not an isolated effort. In late 2024, security operatives made high-profile arrests in Nnewi and Ihiala, targeting similar cult-affiliated gunmen and arms smugglers, a move that underscores the widespread and coordinated nature of the criminal underworld in the region.
SP Ikenga reaffirmed the Anambra State Police Command’s commitment to dismantling these threats:
> “The Command remains committed to denying criminals the space to commit havoc. We urge residents to remain vigilant and to support our efforts by volunteering useful information that could aid in capturing this fugitive and restoring peace.”
As the hunt for “Kiss Me” continues, the eyes of Anambra remain fixed on the unfolding security operation — a test of the state’s resolve to reclaim its communities from the grip of terror.
PIONEER NEWS 