A 16-year-old secondary school dropout, Ifechukwu Atunanya, has been arrested by policemen from the Anambra State Police Command while allegedly having sex with over 52 young men inside a bush in what looked like an initiation ceremony.
According to reports, the suspects were all rounded up in the bush in Awka and are reportedly members of the Supreme Vikings Confraternity, during the initiation of new members.
Ifechukwu, on her arrest, claimed she was forced to sleep with every male member of the cult during her initiation.
According to the state Commissioner of Police, Hosea Karma, the police acted on an intelligence tip-off that the cult members and their new entrants were in a bush performing some rituals, explaining that some items including guns, machetes and several wraps of Indian hemp, were recovered from them.
On apprehension, the Police said the suspects confirmed that as part of their ritual, every male member of the cult will sleep with every prospective female member.
“This they did in order to secure their oath of secrecy and it was during the raid we arrested ifechukwu,” Hosea stated.
At the police station, Ifechukwu claimed that she had to travel to Anambra from Abuja just to witness the initiation of new members.
In her statement, she said:
“I joined them three months ago and during my initiation; I was forced to have sex with every registered male member of the cult present that night. I was given sedatives so as not to feel what they were doing. It was not easy, but I bore the pain,” she said.
“The day we were initiated, I was the only girl in their midst. I was determined to be a successful member. I was further convinced to stay because I discovered that they were more honorable men than the other cult groups.
“I am sorry for myself and would love to be given the opportunity to go back to school,” she sobbed.
She went further to say she never knew that it was crime to be a cult member.
“I am so sorry,” Ifechukwu begged.
Another member, Ugochukwu Agbazuo, also said they are all undergraduates of various institutions in Anambra.
“Apart from some of our national leaders, we are all students. I was initiated into the cult while I was still in my first year. I had no choice but to join them because of the harassment in school. I discovered that most of the Engineering students in my school were members of different cult groups.”
Speaking further, Ugochukwu added: “If you identify with a known cult in school, the lecturers will respect you. You don’t have to buy handouts. This was why I joined them.”
“We did not steal or harass innocent people. The guns that were found with us were bought in case there was a clash in school. It is our leaders who are all graduates and working across the country that normally assists us to secure the arms. It is strictly for protection and one of the rules of our group is that you must read and pass your exams on merit,” he added.
On the issue of rape, Ugochukwu admitted that it only happened with female members.
“A female intending member cannot undergo the rigorous process during the initiation. So, our leaders suggested that the best way to get them under oath is for every registered member to have sex with her during initiation.
“She would be given sedatives during the process so that she will not physically feel the pain. Ifechukwu’s case was better because we were only 52 registered males present on the day of her initiation. All of our female members were raped,” he noted.
As the story goes, Ifechukuw’s parents, who hail from Anambra State, are still alive. However, she said that they were not aware of her secret cult activities.
“I am from a poor family and I wanted to be the light that will change the situation in my family. I got to know about the cult activity through a friend. She assured me that all the connections that I needed in life will be made if I joined the group,” Ifechukwu stated.
