The Police Command in Rivers says it has arrested 20 suspected high profile criminals in the state and recovered 16 exotic vehicles from them.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Zaki Ahmed, said this at a news briefing on Tuesday in Port Harcourt.

Ahmed said 11 out of the 20 suspects were kidnappers while others were armed robbery and car snatching suspects.

According to him, most of the suspects were arrested by the Federal Special Anit-Robbery Squad (FSARS) in the state.

The commissioner said 15 cars of different makes, nine pump action gums and 20 locally made pistols, and several ammunitions were recovered from the suspects.

He advised members of the public whose cars were stolen to come with relevant documents for identification and collection of the vehicles.

Ahmed said about 300 cult members had surrendered their guns and 47 cutlass and axes among others to the command through Salvation Ministries Church in Port Harcourt.

He said the surrender came after they repented and became “born again” Christians.

Ahmed commended Pastor David Ibiyeomie, the General Overseer (GO) of Salvation Ministries, for taking the gospel to the creeks.

He urged other clerics to borrow a leaf from Ibiyeomie, and said the command had robust relationship with religious bodies in the state.

He said the ex-cult members were now undergoing skill acquisition training.

According to Ahmed, the command is investigating the cases and would arraign the suspects in court at the end of the investigations.

The commissioner said 1,000 firearms had been recovered in the arms mop-up campaign in Rivers.

In his contribution, Pastor Ibiyomie said about 300 repented cult members were undergoing skill acquisition training.

Represented by Oye Allen, the G.O. said the ex-cultists would be empowered after the training programme to enable them to be useful to themselves and the society (NAN)

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