TheCable

The police command in Edo says it has arrested 124 suspects for alleged involvement in cult fighting and killings in the state.

Chidi Nwabuzor, the command’s spokesperson, told TheCable that the suspects were arrested within one week, adding that 53 were initially arrested after thorough investigation and profiling by the police.

In a statement on Thursday, Muhammed Dankwara, Edo commissioner of police, said the arrest followed the command’s efforts to put an end to secret cult activities and killings in the state.

Dankwara said there is an upsurge in cult killings, adding that seven persons were recently murdered in the renewed cult fight in the state.

“On Thursday, 13th July 2023, the command’s anti-cultism, anti-kidnapping, and cybercrime unit, in collaboration with the Edo state security network, while acting on credible information, arrested a total number of 53 male suspects in different locations. The suspects have been profiled, investigated, and processed to court, and as I speak, they are in prison,” the statement reads.

“The command has arrested 124 suspects in total in our fight against cult fighting and killings; 97 of these suspects were charged to court and 13 suspects were released after profiling.

“I want to use this medium to warn all secret cult members of different cult groups to stop the killings or vacate the state.

“I also want to warn all the state actors, non-state actors, and sponsors of the various secret cult confraternities who give out their monies, hotels, apartments, lounges, houses, drinking joints, or any other dwelling place as support for clandestine meetings to withdraw their patronages or be ready to face arrest, prosecution in court and such properties aforementioned sealed-up through the instrument of the law.

“The good people of Edo state, and the general public, I want to assure you that this operation to get rid of cultism and other heinous crimes in the state is a continuing process and by the grace of God we will achieve it.”