9th June, 2015
Jethro Ibileke/Benin
The police in Benin, the Edo State capital, southern Nigeria, have arraigned 12 suspected cult leaders before a special magisterial court for their alleged involved in the recent cult killings in several parts of the state.
The State Police Command also paraded a total of 215 suspected criminals arrested for crimes ranging from cultism, murder, armed robbery, kidnapping and unlawful possession of fire arms.
All the 215 suspects have also been araigned in court by the police.
The suspects were arraigned before Chief Magistrate F. O. Idiake on a “holden charge,” to establish their alleged offences and be remanded in prison custody, as the charges brought against the suspects were beyond its jurisdiction of the court.
Police prosecutor, Aigbodion Obakpolor explained to journalists that “the charges are holden charges that the Magistrates’ Court has no power to try. So, the issue of bail may not arise.”
P.M. NEWS reports that following the deployment of a special squad to the state the, State Police Command had on 14 May, 2015, announced the arrest of 56 “vicious cultists,” among them were 11 persons labelled “highly placed persons” and “ring leaders” of cult groups, for their alleged connection with various cult-related cases of killing across the state.
The Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Samuel Adegbuyi, further confirmed to journalists during a press briefing in Benin that the suspects were arrested through the intervention of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Solomon Arase, due to the increasing crime rate in several parts of the state that followed the 2015 presidential, national and state assembly elections.
According to the police commissioner, items recovered from the cult leaders include one short and one long swords with cult symbols, an Eiye confraternity plaque, two Neo-black Movement regalia.
Other items recovered from other suspects include two locally made pistols, four cut-to-size guns, four double barrel guns and eight single barrel guns, four AK47 rifles, three pump action guns, 164 live cartridges, eight cutlasses, two battle axes and one tear gas cannister.
He further stated that 129 suspects had earlier been arraigned on 2 and 3 June, 2015, while 98 others were arraigned on 8 June, 2015, for criminal offences following completion of police investigations.
“After the presidential election of March 28, the National and State Assembly elections respectively, we had challenges on the increase in crime waves, vis-a-vis cult-related cases, armed robbery, kidnapping, murder and other social vices. All these challenges became worrisome; I had no choice than to call for the assistance of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Solomon Arase, who swiftly drafted some MOPOL personnel from Delta and Anambra States as well as personnel from Federal (SARS) Special Anti-Robbery Squad.
“The synergy paid off and in the process a total of 227 suspects were arrested in connection with cultism, kidnapping, murder, armed robbery and unlawful possession of firearms throughout Edo State,” Adegbuyi said.
One of the suspected cult leaders who identified himself as Ernest Amadasun, told journalists that he and his colleagues were arrested at a meeting with the police commissioner, after they were invited to “assist” the police with information on cases of cult-related killings.
“I am a member of the Neo-black Movement. It’s a Pan-Africanist group that fights for advocacy for the Black man. We were arrested in a meeting we held with the Commissioner of Police where we were asked to assist the police with information because all the crime happening in our communities and most of these criminals are known. We acceded to it and we got there and were arrested by the Federal SARS,” Amadasun said.
The police commissioner however said that the suspects could not be exonerated because the were allegedly involved in the crime for which they were arrested.
“The charges were read. There is what we call accessory after the commission of a crime and conspiracy. If you are not the actual suspect and you are privileged to be part and to know the offenders and you have admitted to be members or kingpin of these cult groups, there is no way you will exenorate yourself. Full trial will commence where evidence that I cannot disclose now will be tabled before the competent court for judicial notice,” he said.