The Police Command in Cross River has arrested the Pastor of United Evangelical Church, Michael Bassey, 45, for unlawful possession of a human skull.
The command also apprehended 25 other suspects for various offences committed in the state.
Briefing newsmen on Tuesday in Calabar, Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Sikiru Akande, said that the pastor was arrested upon a complaint from a concerned citizen.
Akande said that the suspect was arrested at No. 56 Uwanse by Asuquo Ekpo Street in Calabar South.
“The suspect was arrested with one human skull tied with the complainant’s picture and carved human image with red clothes.
“Investigation is still ongoing and the suspect will be arraigned in court,” he said.
The CP also paraded one Christian Edem-Eyo, 34, for allegedly killing and beheading one Uduak Okpo, 65, and buried her head and the body separately on June 6.
The Commissioner also said that the suspect would soon be charged to court accordingly.
Bassey, however, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that he was not into any diabolical act.
According to him, he has been conducting healing services for his congregation members before his arrest.
“I don’t know anything about this human skull. I am innocent of the charges against me,” he maintained.
On his part, the murder suspect, Edem-Eyo, told NAN that he killed Okpo because she belonged to the spiritual world.
“I killed Uduak Okpo because she belonged to the marine world. She was terrorising me spiritually in the compound,” he said.
The CP said that the Command’s “Operation Restore Peace” in the state had yielded result through the arrest of criminals disturbing the peace of the people.
He said that the command was liaising with traditional rulers, youth groups, stakeholders and community dwellers on ways to restore peace and order in the state.
