Police Nab Akwa Ibom Ritualist Allegedly Making ‘Bulletproof’ Charms for Robbers

By Ekanem ASUQUO 

Operatives of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command have arrested a suspected ritualist, Cletus Effiong Bassey, accused of supplying armed robbers with native charms and so-called “bullet repellers.”

The command’s spokesperson, DSP Timfon John, disclosed in a statement on Friday that the 30-year-old suspect was apprehended on July 29, 2025, at about 6:51pm in his shrine at Nung Oku Village, Uruan Local Government Area.

John said the arrest followed credible intelligence linking Bassey to ritualistic practices designed to shield criminals from police firepower.

 “Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspect was providing native charms, including those believed to make robbers invulnerable to bullets,” she stated.

A search of the compound, she added, led to the recovery of a fabricated single-barrel gun.

The police spokesperson noted that the investigation is ongoing, with operatives working to determine the extent of Bassey’s network and whether other suspects are involved.

The command assured residents of its commitment to flushing out criminals and dismantling illegal networks aiding armed robbery in the state.