Edo govt seals shrines, declares cult leaders wanted

By Ayox Ojo

Edo Government said it has sealed multiple properties linked to suspected cult leaders following the discovery of a shrine in Egbaen community and a violent confrontation that claimed a life in Evboyare community of the state.

The State Government, in a statement on Thursday said the the properties were sealed in coordinated operation, codenamed “Operation Flush Out Cultists and Kidnappers”, led by the Squad’s coordinator, Idemudia Noah, in collaboration with allied security agencies.

According to the statement, acting on intelligence reports, operatives stormed a residence in Egbaen, Egor Local Government Area, in the early hours of Wednesday, August 20, 2025. Though the building was unoccupied, a search uncovered a secluded shrine at the rear of the premises.

Inside, officers found a white casket and fetish items believed to have been used for initiation rituals and other clandestine activities.

The government ordered the immediate sealing of the property, an emphatic signal of its resolve to dismantle the physical and spiritual infrastructure sustaining cultism across the State.

Also, the statement indicated that security forces moved to Evboyare community in Uhunmwode Local Government Area where there had been a bloody clash that claimed a life between rival Eiye and Maphite confraternities.

“The residence of the alleged Maphite leader, Felix Aigbedion, was sealed after intelligence linked him to the crisis.

“Aigbedion, now declared wanted, is believed to have masterminded the assault during a community dispute that spiraled into cult violence.

“By the time operatives arrived, Evboyare lay in desolation. Homes, vehicles, and personal property bore the marks of destruction, while spent cartridges littered the ground; grim evidence of the crossfire that terrorized residents and forced families to flee,” Edo State Government said.

“Two locally made firearms were recovered from a poultry house, which investigators identified as a makeshift armory for cultists,” the statement further indicated.

Speaking after the operation, Idemudia Noah reaffirmed the Government’s uncompromising posture.

“The administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo is unwavering in its determination to purge Edo State of cult-related violence and criminal syndicates. We have sealed the property of Mr. Felix Aigbedion, who has been implicated in the fatal clash at Evboyare, as well as the Egbaen residence of Mr. Marvellous Adetarami, where a shrine was uncovered. These measures are not symbolic. They are a clear statement that clandestine activities will no longer find sanctuary in Edo State,” he noted.

Investigations, Noah disclosed, also unearthed disturbing evidence of extortion during initiation processes, including the forced transfer of money from victims to cultists. He stressed that the Police had been fully briefed and are pursuing prosecutions.

In his warning to criminal elements, Noah declared: “Cultists have only two options: renounce or leave Edo State. The full weight of the law will descend on anyone who persists. This government is committed to securing Edo for its people and ensuring peace, stability, and a safe environment for commerce and community life.”