Police operatives in Delta State Police Command on Saturday, September 25, 2021, arrested 10 suspected members of Aiye cult group, while they foiled the initiation of members into the group.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe, on Tuesday, September 28, said that the cult activities were discovered when the police got information at about 1:45am that members of Neo Black Movement, popularly known as Aiye Confraternity (Black Axe), were carrying out an initiation in the bush at Onicha-Ugbo community in Aniocha North Local Government Area.
This, the PPRO said, made the Commander of State Anti-Cult Unit (SACU) to detail operatives to the venue of the initiation.
On storming the place, the operatives were said to have foiled an ongoing initiation process and arrested 10 male suspects while others escaped into the bush.
A locally-made revolver pistol, four live and one expended 9mm ammunition, and two expended cartridges were recovered from two of the suspected cultists.
Also, some weeds suspected to be marijuana, a Honda Accord car with registration number Lagos KSF 586 DU, five motorcycles and a bag containing clothes were recovered from the scene.
In the same vein, Edafe stated that on Friday, September 24, at about 4:10pm, operatives of the Command’s Crack Squad, acting on intelligence, raided criminal hideouts at Eri Community near Oleh in Isoko south LGA and arrested one Akpofure Lucky, aged 37, with a locally-made pistol and three live cartridges.
According to the police spokesman, the suspect confessed to being a member of the Supreme Vikings Confraternity.
He said that he and the 10 cultists would be charged to court as soon as investigation had been concluded.
In his comment, the state Commissioner of Police, Ari Muhammed called on well-meaning residents of the state, parents and guardians to admonish their wards to shun all forms of cult-related practices.
“Cultism is the bedrock of most prevalent crimes in the society today and, as such, should not be encouraged in any way,” the police commissioner stated, assuring that the command would remain committed in maintaining the already existing peace in the state, security of lives and property.
He added that the command would not tolerate anyone going against the law, as he directed Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers and tactical commanders to ensure continuous raiding of criminal hideouts and black spots.
The senior police officers were also told to ensure constant patrol of their areas of responsibility, while men deployed should be properly supervised, so that they remain civil to members of the public and shun all forms of corruption.
