In a village in Akwa Ibom State, police have arrested a man they say was running a dangerous side business—convincing armed robbers that his homemade charms could make them bulletproof.
Thirty-year-old Cletus Effiong Bassey thought his shrine in Nung Oku Village was hidden away from prying eyes.
But on the evening of July 29th, around 7 p.m., his world came crashing down when police officers stormed his compound in Uruan Local Government Area.
The arrest, announced Friday by police spokesperson DSP Timfon John, has exposed what authorities believe was a troubling partnership between traditional practices and violent crime.
According to police, he had built a reputation among criminals for providing what he called “bullet repellers”—charms that supposedly protected armed robbers from getting shot during their crimes.
The tip that led to his arrest came from reliable sources who had been watching his activities.
When officers searched his compound, they found more than just ritual items—tucked away was a crude, locally-made single-barrel gun.
Now Bassey sits in police custody while investigators dig deeper into exactly how many criminals he may have supplied with his so-called protective charms, and whether any of them actually believed they were invincible because of his “magic.”
