The Anambra State Police Command has sought the co-operation of all stakeholders in Awka Community, to deal with the spate of cultism and cult-related killings in the state capital.
Cult-related killings in the community have resulted in the death of not less than a hundred youths, teenagers and even the elderly, since it began years ago.
The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Aderemi Adeoye during a recent visit in the company of some top officers of the command to the traditional ruler of Awka, Obi Gibson Nwosu at his palace in Awka, said the efforts of the police at ridding the community of cultism can only yield meaningful result when the people support the efforts.
According to him, the command is committed to providing adequate security to the residents of the state without fear or favour.
Mr. Adeoye who is the 33rd Anambra Commissioner of police said his posting as the State’s commissioner of police, is his fourth sojourn as a police officer in Anambra since 1991 when he was first posted to the state, and that he had worked in Fegge Onitsha, Oba, Ojoto, Nnewi among others.
The Police Commissioner said Anambra is his second home and described Awka people as very hospitable, lovely and  caring, even as he showered encomiums on one of the illustrious sons of the community, Chief Ken Chukwurah who is a retired Director at the Department of State Service (DSS) who he said provided an intelligence that saved hundreds of souls many years ago while both of them were working together to fight Boko Haram insurgency in Maiduguri, Borno State.
The Anambra Police Commissioner revealed that the command has arrested 33 suspects for secret cult-related offences and appealed to Awka people to give his command maximum support to end the menace of cultism in the city.
While thanking the Commissioner for the visit, Chief Chukwurah maintained that Mr. Adeoye is the right person Anambra needs at the moment in fighting all forms of crimes and criminality because of his wealth of experience, and revealed that adequate security is driven by tactical intelligence and assured the Police Commissioner of their unalloyed support at all times.
Earlier, Obi Nwosu represented by the Traditional Prime Minister of the town, Engineer Benjamin Okoye commended Mr. Adeoye for the visit and described him as a thorough-bred security expert, who understands Awka and Anambra terain very well, having lived in Awka for so many years.
The Awka monarch assured Mr. Adeoye that the people of the community will always give him all the support the command needed to excel in their assignment and asked the police chief to put an end to the incessant barricading of tarred roads in Awka, which he said could hamper movement in case of eventualities.
Mr Adeoye was accompanied to the visit by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Anambra State, Mr. David Iloyanomo, the State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ikenga Toochukwu.
The Director of Media in Eze Uzu palace of Awka, Mr Abuchi Nwozor was also present during the visit, while handing over of a souvenir cementing relationship between Ndu Awka and the state police command by the Police Commissioner to Obi Nwosu climaxed the event.
