The suspected cultists were arrested by the command’s Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Unit at Uza Street, Esigie, Benin.

The arrested suspects

Thirteen suspects have been arrested by the Edo State Police Command over their alleged involvement in armed robbery and cultism in the state.

Spokesperson of the command, Chidi Nwabuzor, who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, May 10, said one of the suspects, Emeka Ogwu, 27, was arrested for allegedly stealing cable belonging to the Benin Electricity Distribution Company while 12 others were arrested for their alleged involvement in cultism.

The PPRO said policemen arrested Ogwu while on a patrol along the Upper Mission/Upper Lawani axis, Benin City, following a distress call.

He said the suspect and one other were seen vandalising armoured cable belonging to BEDC in their community, but the suspect was arrested while his accomplices escaped.

According to him, the armoured cable that was cut into sizeable pieces was recovered from the suspects.

Nwabuzor added that the command’s Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Unit arrested12 suspected members of Eiye Confraternity at Uza Street, Esigie, Benin.

He said the suspects were having a clandestine meeting on how to attack a rival secret cult when police stormed the scene and arrested the suspects while others escaped.

 He listed the suspects to include Ama Success (19), Odion Sunday (23), Elinana Omon (23), Famous Prosper (23), Joseph Ikehinde (22), Junior Uwadia (22) Cyrillic Omonhe (20), Charles Friday (30), Uyi Ewansiha (33), Ibrahim Abdulmalik (22), Uyi Okogiewe (19); and Ogbonna Maduabuchi (30).

 One of the suspected cultists, Success, who spoke to journalists, said he joined the Eiye cult because of oppression from other rival cult groups.

“I joined a secret cult because of oppression. Young boys like me used to collect my belongings from me on the street, so I decided to join to stop the oppression but now, I regret joining the secret cult,” he said.