A suspected cultist, Bobo John, 18, on Thursday led policemen to Igwebuike forest in Awara community, in the Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State, where he and four members of his cult allegedly killed and buried a 24-year-old man, Stanley Eluwa, in a shallow grave.

Speaking to journalists after the remains of the slain man had been exhumed, the suspect said he was a product of an irresponsible home.

John explained that the gang lured the victim, who was a commercial motorcycle rider, to the forest and killed him with a rod after snatching his motorcycle.

The teenager said, “We were three – Davido and Stone and I. We asked him to take us to this place (forest). It was Davido who hit him with the rod. We buried him here.

“I am 18 years old, but my parents didn’t train me at all. I am a product of an irresponsible home. I regret my action. I didn’t get any money from the sale of the motorcycle. Davido took the money; he said he was going to Elele, Rivers State, to start a new life. I don’t know how much he sold the motorcycle.”

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Andrew Enwerem, a Superintendent of Police, said John and four others, who belonged to the Iceland cult, lured the victim to the forest on October 5.

Enwerem  said when Eluwa did not return home, his family members reported the matter at the Ohaji Police Division.

The police spokesperson said John was arrested on October 24 for another case of stealing an amplifier from the New Life Bible Church, Awara. John, according to Enwerem, in the course of interrogation confessed that his gang murdered and buried Eluwa in the forest.

“This is a case of robbery and murder. This man, who claims to be 18 years old and his gang members, robbed and murdered one Stanley Eluwa on October 5.

“He was arrested on October 24 for stealing an amplifier from the New Life Bible Church. During interrogation, he confessed to the murder case. Today, (Thursday) he led the police and the family members of the slain man to the forest where they killed and buried the victim in a shallow grave.

“The Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike, has declared war on cultism. The CP believes  that cultism is the mother of all crimes. We are getting the results and the CP is bringing new ideas to the table to make sure that cultism is thrown out of the state.

“The suspect and others on the run belong to the Iceland Confraternity, which has been wrecking havoc on the state.

“We are trailing the fleeing gang members. There is an ongoing operation in the state against cultism,” Enwerem added.