Edo Police arrests, parades three suspected cultists, recovers ammunition

.CP hails Obaseki’s commitment to flushing out cultists, other criminal gangs in Edo

.Says war against cultism yielding positive results

The Edo State Police Commissioner, Funsho Adegboye, has said the state is recording remarkable progress in the war against cultists and other criminal gangs in the state.

The commissioner said this when the state’s Police Command paraded three suspected cultists, in Benin City, the Edo State capital. The suspects were alleged to be members of the Maphite confraternity.

The suspects are Eyefia Godbless ‘M’ 30 years, Imuetiyan Ewemade ‘M’ 30 years, and Emeka Okpaja ‘M’ 22 years.

Adegboye said the cult members were sighted at Ubiaza Community, Off Sapele Road in Benin City, engaging in clandestine activities to avenge the killing of one of their members, late Kokori ‘M’ who was allegedly killed by members of Aye confraternity, a rival cult group in June 2024.

The CP said one automatic pump action gun, 11 live carriages, three green berets, and Maphite constitution were the exhibits recovered from the suspect as they made confessional statements affirming their membership of the cult group.

He said, “We have the full backing of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun on the fight against cultism and we are not joking with it. We also have the backing of Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, and his executives who all believe that this war against cultism must be fought to a standstill until the State is void of cultism and criminality.

“It’s difficult to separate cultism and heinous crimes like killings without fear or remorse. Look at their beret and constitution, the book that governs their illicit activities, killing, and counter-killings. They even confirmed they registered their organisation but in Edo State, they have been proscribed and their activities are illegal. We wouldn’t allow this in the State. We were able to arrest these ones and will arrest more of them in this fight.”

According to him, “This is an automatic pump action gun which is as deadly as AK 47 which has a bullet that can kill several people, unlike AK-47 which can kill just one person. According to the suspects, the gun was purchased for about N700,000.

“This incident is unfortunate as we appeal to our youths to gainfully engage themselves in profitable and positive activities as crime, cultism, and internet fraud does not pay. I want to assure you that with the collaboration of the judiciary, they will be diligently prosecuted and taken off the society.

“We are parading them to enable their members and other cult groups to know that crime doesn’t pay. The Edo State Government and the police, with the assistance of other sister security agencies and the press, will continue to sensitize the people on the danger of such groups.”

On other arrests made, the Police CP continued: “A cultist hideout along Siluko road was stormed by the anti-vices team and arrested five suspects and recovered from them two pump action guns, two locally made single barrel guns, 20 live cartridges.

“At same Siluko road, Rapid Response Squad intercepted one Mercedes Benz C300 Saloon car with registration number YAB 389 BG, driven by Osayande Tony ‘M’ 48 years and was arrested with one pump action gun and two cartridges.”

The CP said his command also has under its custody one Apalobi Daniel of Powerline, in Ugbiyokho, Benin City, who had an argument with his wife, Celine Profit, and strangled her to death with his suit tie, noting that the suspect will soon be charged to court.