Police arrest 30 suspected cultists in Edo
The police in Edo State on Thursday said it arrested 30 suspected cultists for alleged involvement in cult-related clashes and activities in Benin City.
Chidi Nwabuzor, the police spokesperson in the state, disclosed this while addressing reporters on the command’s achievements in its fight against cultism in the state.
Mr Nwabuzor, a superintendent of police, said the suspects included seven females and 23 males.
They were arrested in different locations within Benin, he said.
He said the anti-cultism unit of the police raided criminal hideouts and black spots as a clampdown on criminals in the state, following recent cult related clashes in the state.
“During the raid, 30 suspects, comprising 23 males and seven females, were arrested. The suspects confessed to being members of various cult groups in the state.”
The police spokesperson said some of the suspects were members of Eiye, Buccaneers and Maphite confraternity.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the suspects denied being members of cult groups.
They said they only got to know why they were arrested during their parade at the police headquarters.
One suspect, Rose Okafor, 40, said the police arrested her while she was selling drinks at a hotel.
“I was arrested by the police at about 9 p.m. They arrested five of us at the same place and they didn’t tell us why we were arrested.
“We are only hearing it now that we are cultists. I am not a cultist,” she said.
(NAN)
