Operatives of the Edo State Police Command have arrested three suspected cultists with a deadly automatic pump action gun worth N700,000.
The suspects, Eyefia Godbless, 30, Imuetiyan Ewemade, 30 and Emeka Okpaja, 22, were alleged to be members of the Maphite confraternity.
The State Commissioner of Police, Funsho Adegboye, disclosed that the suspects were arrested at Ubiaza Community, Off Sapele Road in Benin City, where they planned to avenge the killing of one of their members, (simply identified as Kokori) who was allegedly killed by members of Aye confraternity, a rival cult group in June 2024.
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He noted that the State is recording remarkable progress in the war against cultists and other criminal gangs.
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.
“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 organization 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.”
Items recovered from them included one automatic pump action gun, 11 live carriages, three green berets, and Maphite constitution.
In another development, five suspected cultists at their hideout along Siluko Road were arrested by the Anti-vices Team of the Command.
“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 do not pay.
“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.
“I want to assure you that with the collaboration of the judiciary, they will be diligently prosecuted and taken off the society,” the CP said.
Items recovered from them were two pump action guns, two locally-made single barrel guns, 20 live cartridges.
Other suspects paraded by the Edo CP included one Tony Osayande (48) who was arrested along Siluko Road by the Rapid Response Squad of the Command.
He was intercepted in one Mercedes Benz C300 Saloon car with registration number YAB 389 BG, in which one pump action gun and two cartridges were recovered.
Another suspect, Apalobi Daniel, of Powerline, in Ugbiyokho, Benin City, was arrested for allegedly strangling his wife to death with his neck tie after an argument.
