The Nkpolu Divisional Police headquarters in Mile three, Port Harcourt, Rivers State have arraigned four secondary school students over charges bordering on cultism.

The charge sheet deposed by Chief Magistrate Phillipa Dike-Udenna said the students are from the Community Secondary School, Nkpolu Oroworukwo axis of mile three in Port Harcourt.

The charge sheet gave the names of the students as Uchechi Okene, 17, Hakeem Suleiman, 18, Sunday Progress, 16 and Nicholas Benson, 16.

The charge sheet PMC 1478C reads, “That you Uchechi Okene ‘m’ aged 17, Hakeem Suleman ‘m’ aged 18, Sunday Progress ‘m’ aged 16 years and Nicholas Benson ‘m’ aged 16 years on the 17th day of November 2021 in Community Secondary School Nkpolu, Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt in Port Harcourt magisterial district did conspire to commit felony to wit Cultism and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 516(A) of the criminal code, Cap 37 Vol.11 laws of Rivers State of Nigeria.

“Count 11 read, that you Uchechi Okene ‘m’ Hakeem Suleiman ‘m’ Sunday Progress ‘m’ and Nicholas Benson ‘m’ on the same date and place at the aforesaid magisterial district did belong and are members of Deegbam Secret cult group and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 2(1) of the secret cut and similar activities prohibition N0 6 laws of Rivers State of Nigeria.”

The  students were remanded in Police custody as Philipa Dike-Udenna Chief Magistrate grade 2 of Magistrate court 30 did not sit and they are to be arraigned properly on Monday 22, November 2021.

Reports have it that Nkpolu Police Division filed the case of cultism against the students without transferring the students to the Anti-cultism of the Nigeria Police as it is usually the process in cases of cultism.

Punch