Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have arrested several suspected cultists in southern and central senatorial districts of the state.
This was disclosed on Thursday during the parade of criminal suspects at the command headquarters in Asaba by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Bright Edafe.
He said on the 26th of July, 2024, operatives from Ekpan Police Station raided an apartment in DSC, acting on credible intelligence.
During the operation, authorities recovered a cache of weapons, including one Beretta pistol, two locally made double-barrel guns, two locally made single-barrel guns, one English revolver pistol, one locally made revolver pistol, and one locally made single-barrel pistol.
Also seized were a Beretta magazine, two toy guns, and thirty-five rounds of ammunition.
Initially, he said one suspect was arrested but later released when it was confirmed that he was the father of the primary suspect, who was at large at the time.
According to Edafe, on 23 December 2024, police received intelligence that Prosper Akeni, 32, the prime suspect, was spotted at Orhuwhorun town, performing a “handing-over” ceremony as the leader of the Eiye confraternity.
He was subsequently arrested and upon interrogation, Akeni admitted the weapons belonged to his cult group, claiming he held them as the group’s leader.
In a separate operation on 10 January 2025, SP Edafe said the CP-Special Assignment Team (CP-SAT) conducted targeted raids in Oghara and Sapele towns, leading to the arrest of three suspects and the recovery of additional weapons.
In Oghara, the team arrested Lucky Adoko, 39, and Bishop Bobi, 44, seizing a locally made cut-to-size gun. In Sapele, Junior Umokoro, 24, was apprehended, and a pump-action gun was recovered.
Preliminary investigations, according to Edafe, revealed that Bishop Bobi is also a member of the Eiye confraternity.
He said all the suspects are currently in custody as further inquiries continue.
While noting that these arrests and recoveries highlight the Delta State Police’s ongoing commitment to combating cultism and armed robbery, Edafe quoted the Commissioner of Police, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, as encouraging residents to provide credible information to aid law enforcement in their mission to ensure safety and security across the state.
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