Police identify victim of cult killing in Bayelsa, launch manhunt

2026-02-17 - 16:16

By Samuel Oyadongha, Yenagoa The Bayelsa State Police Command has identified the victim of a cult-related killing in the Yenegwe suburb of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, as Ebi Doudu, a 30-year-old man. Police said Doudu was attacked and killed by suspected members of the Bobos cult group. The command also disclosed that the deceased was allegedly a member of a rival cult group known as the Greenlanders. The State Commissioner of Police, Daniel Iyamah Edobor, has ordered an immediate manhunt for the perpetrators, directing Operation Puff Adder, led by CSP Chris Nwaogbo, to investigate the incident and bring those responsible to justice. Although an autopsy has yet to be conducted, police sources confirmed that the victim was gruesely mutilated during the attack. Relatives of the deceased have called on investigators to assist the family and the Amassoma community in apprehending those behind the killing. A senior police source said investigators have already identified key suspects, including a notorious cultist believed to reside in a densely populated area of the state capital. According to the source, intelligence indicates that the killing may have been carried out in protest against an existing peace accord initiated by the police under the leadership of the commissioner. It was gathered that upon assuming office, the commissioner was confronted with two cult-related killings in December 2025 and January 2026. He subsequently summoned known cult leaders, warned against further violence, and demanded that those responsible for the earlier killings be handed over to the police. Sources said the peace accord was resisted by some factions, including one of the identified suspects, who is already on the wanted list of Operation Puff Adder following the alleged discovery of two pump-action guns in his residence during a tactical raid last year. Police authorities reiterated their commitment to restoring peace and security in Yenagoa and surrounding communities, assuring residents that those behind the killing will be apprehended and prosecuted.