The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has paraded 17 persons over alleged involvement in cultism, fraud and murder of a Police Inspector in the state.

The Command’s Commissioner, CP Waheed Ayilara, paraded the suspects on Monday in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.

The CP said the suspects were arrested for different offences in different parts of the state.

Ayilara said some of the suspects were arrested over the alleged murder of an Inspector, Usang Egbe, on January 1.

He said that the young men, suspected to be members of Debam Cult, were also responsible for the murder of Dr. Udofia Sunday-Umo at Ikot Epeyak Ikono Village in Uyo Local Government Area.

Ayilara said that two locally made guns, two bottles containing concoctions suspected to be charms, and illicit drugs were recovered from the suspects.

The Commissioner said the Command also arrested a suspected kidnapper residing at Nepa Line in Uyo metropolis.

He said that an AK49 Rifle, SMG Rifle, two magazines and six rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition were recovered from him.

Ayilara said: “While being interrogated, the suspect confessed to being a member of the Vikings Confraternity.

“During the period, the command also arrested some suspects over alleged advanced fee fraud involving the sum of N320,000.

“The command also foiled a planned kidnap mission and arrested four suspects in the process.”

CP Ayilara said that all suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations were concluded on their matters.