The leadership of Awka community in Anambra has engaged the services of a special vigilante group known as “Scorpion Squad” to check the upsurge in secret cult-related killings in the area.

The new group commenced its operations on June 12.

The chairman, Ezi-Awka Youth Organization, Charles Ijeoma, said on Tuesday that the group was not the old Bakassi Boys as insinuated in some quarters.

According to him, the only similarity with Bakassi Boys is in the mode of operation.

“Awka people decided to engage the group because the rate of cult-related killings was becoming too much in the area.

“We felt we have to act fast because the police and other security agencies appear overwhelmed by the upsurge in security problems in the area.

“The people of Ezi-Awka made up of seven villages recently met because of the rate of killings, armed robbery, raping and breaking into market shops and eventually decided to invite the scorpion squad.”

Mr Ijeoma said that the community informed the state police command through the Central Police Station, Awka and also the Awka South local government area.

“So far, four persons have died in a crossfire between two secret cult groups and the squad and the group came in control of the situation and the bad boys met their deaths in the process,” he said.

Mr Ijeoma blamed the rate of brigandage in Anambra recently on the jailbreaks across the south-east zone.

He noted that there were many guns currently in Awka and those guns were in the hands of criminals released by unknown gunmen.

The chairman noted that since the police were busy protecting their stations, “we must act fast to protect Awka community.”

The body, it was learnt had so far arrested 23 suspected armed robbers and cultists out of which four died in a crossfire.

The outfit had also recovered arms and some stolen tricycles and apprehended tricycles operating during prohibited hours by the state government.

When contacted, the police spokesperson DSP Tochukwu Ikenga said that the command was not aware but quickly added that the command was ready to work with any known security outfit against crime.