Cultists in Edo get hot: Police arrest 16 suspects, recover weapons

By Jethro Ibileke

No fewer than 16 suspected cultists have been arrested by operatives of Edo State Police Command, in a sweeping crackdown aimed at dismantling cult groups and restoring public confidence.

The suspects were arrested across various local government areas of the State, in the past few days.

Prominent among those arrested was 33-year-old Bello Salami, a suspected member of the Maphite Confraternity who was fingered in the recent killing of three vigilante members along Wire Road, in Benin-City.

A statement by the Command’s Spokesman,  Moses Yamu, disclosed that the suspect was arrested on June 28, 2025, at the Benin Airport, while allegedly attempting to flee the State.

The trio of Emmanuel Udeh 27), Kalifa Kabir (24) and Ashiru Ahmed (22), who disguised as iron scrap scavengers, were arrested in Auchi, Etsako West LGA. A Jojef Magnum pump action gun with breech number 23YT0083, was recovered from them.

Also arrested at South Ibie, are Ahmed Hakeem (23), Williams Kayode (25), David Sylvester (21), Oshoke Itepu (22), Emmanuel Monday (27) and Daniel Ehichioya (21), all residents of South Ibie in Etsako West LGA, said to be members of Aye Confraternity.

The duo of Abdulahi Eriamiator (18), Moses Humphrey (25), members of the Vikings Confraternity, were allegedly arrested in Aduwawa, a surbub community of Benin City.

“Similarly, Operatives of Irrua Division led by the DPO acting on actionable intelligence arrested one Ogbe Osaghele 29yrs of Ebhoakhuale-Ekpoma at Idumebo-Irrua with a cut-to-size shotgun and two (2) live cartridges. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend one Odion Osaghele and two others now at large, who are also members of the Aye Confraternity.

“In the same vein on 28/06/2025, operatives of the Ekpoma Area Command tracked and arrested one Itua Odion 22yrs at a hotel in Ekpoma, through credible information. Upon immediate search, one fabricated pistol with two (2) live cartridges were recovered.

“The suspect confessed to being the Esan Area Zonal Leader ie No 1 of the Neo Black Movement (NBM) aka Black Axe Confraternity,” the statement said.

Various arms and ammunition and other were dangerous weapons were recovered from the suspects.