By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The Anambra State Police Command has arrested one of the notorious suspects linked to the gruesome attack at Total and Tipper Junctions in Oko, Orumba North Local Government Area, which resulted in multiple deaths and abductions.
The suspect, identified as 25-year-old Chukwujekwu Micheal Okoye, popularly known as Bus-Stop, was apprehended on Monday, July 7, 2025, by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) in Awkuzu, following intense intelligence-led investigation.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the State, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, announced this in a statement on Tuesday, in which he said the operatives also recovered one automatic pump-action gun and two mobile phones during the operation.
Recall that in the night of June 19, 2025, gunmen stormed the bustling Total and Tipper Junctions in Oko, opening fire indiscriminately and leaving two persons dead, including a lady, while injuring two others and abducting two more. The abducted victims were later released after ransom was reportedly paid.
According to SP Ikenga, Police investigations have since intensified, with leads pointing to cult-related violence. He said the arrested suspect, Bus-Stop, confessed to being an active and ranking member of the Aye Confraternity Cult Group, where he currently holds the title of Lord. He further confessed to orchestrating the robbery of a victim at gunpoint in Oko on May 22, 2025, during which a phone and other valuables were stolen.
The Police Spokesman said the suspect also gave chilling details of the June 19 attack, revealing how he and six other gang members launched the assault in Oko, causing widespread panic and loss. He further admitted that they had planned an initiation ceremony and a possible rival cult attack on the same day he was arrested — July 7.
According to SP Ikenga, the arrest of Bus-Stop is a major breakthrough in the effort to dismantle the cult syndicate responsible for the surge in violent crimes in Oko and other parts of the state. He said the Police have activated strategic operational plans for the arrest of the other gang members who are currently at large.
While assuring that efforts are ongoing to restore peace and bring all culprits to justice, the Command also urged residents to volunteer any useful information that could assist in tracking down the fleeing suspects and eliminating cultism from Anambra communities.
