Three arrested in Edo over cult activities

2026-02-17 - 12:09

By Ozioruva Aliu BENIN CITY – Three persons suspected to be cultists who were allegedly linked to last Friday’s cult-related killings in Benin City have been arrested in a joint raid by the Edo State Special Security Squad, ESSC, and operatives of the state Police Command. The suspects were arrested at Amagba and Obagie communities were fetish items, arms and ammunition were recovered from their homes. The three suspects are Osazee Omoruyi, Innocent Okunozee, the Okiaghale (Youth Leader) of Obagie community, who both confessed to being cultists but denied involvement in the killings and Anito Osaho,n who denied belonging to any cult group and did not participate in any killings. Two other Okhaigeles of Ofunwegbe and Ara communities were given seven days ultimatum to turn themselves in. Omoruyi and Osahon were arrested in a bungalow at Amagba village, where two pump-action guns, a pistol, and ammunition were found, while Okunozee was allegedly arrested with a Highlander Keep, with a Raffle in a separate raid. Briefing newsmen, Eribo Ewanta, the spokesperson for the ESSC, said the suspects were arrested following intelligence gathered. Ewanta, who said the Squad has made a huge success in its mandate to make the state crime-free, gave the Okiaghales of Obagie, Ofumwengbe, and Ara communities seven days ultimatum to surrender themselves to the state government or be arrested anywhere they are, adding that the state government is closer to them than they can imagine. He added: “The following are on the run: Enas, Koko, Amani Amani, Sparo and Dada. They should come and surround themselves as well, or else we will track them down.. “I call on the fleeing suspects to willingly give themselves in for investigation, as they will be arrested no matter where they run to, the arm of the law will find them out”. Also speaking, Secretary of the Special Security Squad, Mr John Eshekiagbe, assured that with the coordination of the Principal Security Officer to the governor, the mandate to ensure a cult-free state will be achieved with more arrests and prosecutions to be made as investigations continue