FROM IKHILI EBALU, BENIN CITY
As part of an intensified crackdown on cult-related violence across the state, operatives of the Edo State Police Command have arrested a suspected cultist attempting to flee the state through the Benin Airport.
The suspect, identified as Bello Salami, 33, an alleged member of the Maphite Confraternity, was intercepted at the airport last Saturday.
Salami is linked to the recent gruesome murder of three vigilante operatives along Wire Road in Benin City.
The command also said it took into custody 15 other suspects, recovered deadly arms and ammunition during the coordinated operations carried out across Edo.
According to a statement issued by the command’s spokesman, CSP Moses Joel Yamu, the arrests followed credible intelligence and the command’s resolve to rid Edo of criminal elements.
AljazirahNigeria gathered that fleeing criminals out of the state recently opted to be using the Benin Airport as a gateway after the Commissioner of Police strategically beefed up security on major roads and waterways across the state.
Check revealed that police officers’ visibility on major routes in and outside Benin City has increased significantly.
Detailing the successful operations, CSP Yamu stated that on June 26, 2025, at about 1500hrs, while acting on credible Intelligence, operatives of the Aduwawa Division arrested the duo of Abdulahi Eriamiator, 18yrs, and Moses Humphrey, 25yrs, all members of the Vikings Confraternity.
“On the same date at about 1800hrs, operatives of the South Ibie Division arrested one Ahmed Hakeem 23yrs a member of the Aye Confraternity”.
He stated further that investigation led to the arrest of Williams Kayode, 25yrs, David Sylvester, 21yrs, Oshoke Itepu, 22yrs, Emmanuel Monday 27yrs and Daniel Ehichioya 21yrs all residents of South Ibie in Etsako West LGA, as well as the recovery of one shotgun, four live cartridges, two battle axes, one cutlass, a bunker of “ice” an illicit drug in their possession.
Iyamu stated that all of them had confessed to being members of the Aye Confraternity.
The Police spokesman added that operatives of Irrua division in Esan Central Local Government Area also arrested one Ogbe Osaghele, 29, of Ebhoakhuale-Ekpoma at Idumebo-Irrua with a cut-to-size shotgun and two live cartridges.
He added that efforts were ongoing to apprehend one Odion Osaghele and two others now at large, who are also members of the Aye Confraternity.
According to him, operatives of the Ekpoma Area Command tracked and arrested one Itua Odion, 22yrs, at a hotel in Ekpoma, through credible information. Upon immediate search of his vehicle, an unregistered ash coloured Lexus RX 350, one fabricated pistol with two live cartridges were recovered.
The suspect allegedly confessed to be the Esan area zonal leader of Neo Black Movement, NBM, aka Black Axe Confraternity.
Yamu also disclosed that on June 29, 2025, operatives of Jattu Division Etsako West Local Government Area of the state raided a flash point along Ibie road and arrested one Hamza Umoru, 27, of Ikabigbo community, as the suspect confessed being member of Vikings.
Exhibits said to have been recovered during the statewide raid.
He stated that Auchi Division intercepted and arrested one Emmanuel Udeh, 27yrs, Kalifa Kabir, 24yrs, and Ashiru Ahmed, 22yrs, all of various locations in Auchi in possession of a Jojef Magnum pump action with breech number 23YT0083. The trio disguised as iron scraps scavengers with the firearm concealed in like manner.
He concluded that all suspects would be arraigned before the court as soon as investigations were concluded.
