The owner of a well-known hotel in Oba, Anambra State, is currently on the run after the Agunechemba security outfit uncovered a shrine and over 30 graves on the premises.
In response to the shocking findings, Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s security task force has demolished the hotel.
During the raid, security operatives discovered various charms and ritual items scattered throughout the hotel grounds. While several individuals, including some sex workers, were arrested, the hotel owner managed to escape before authorities could apprehend them.
The incident has drawn parallels to the notorious 1996 Otokoto saga in Owerri, Imo State, which involved the ritual killing of an 11-year-old boy.
Governor Soludo established the Agunechemba security outfit to address the escalating insecurity in Anambra, which has persisted despite previous efforts. Reports indicate that suspected ritualists, kidnappers, and criminals posing as real estate developers and cryptocurrency traders have become increasingly prevalent in the state.
A member of a local vigilance group, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, reassured residents that security forces—including the military, police, navy, DSS, and various local organizations—are collaborating to restore safety.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Tochukwu Ikenga, could not be reached for comment, and a senior police officer declined to provide information on the situation.
The raid took place on Saturday evening, resulting in the arrest of several suspected kidnappers alongside the sex workers.
Crackdowns on criminal hideouts have intensified in recent weeks, with at least five buildings demolished across the state. Under Anambra’s new homeland law, lands reclaimed from demolished structures are to be seized by the government.
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