Edo police arrest 175 suspected kidnappers, cultists, others in 3 months

BENIN CITY —THE police in Edo State said they have arrested no fewer than 175 suspects involved in various crimes across the three senatorial districts of the state.

The Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonik, during a press conference at the command headquarters in Benin City, said 124 of the suspects were arrested for cultism, 40 for kidnapping, while 11 were apprehended for armed robbery and other violent crimes.

According to him, 46 of the suspects were caught with firearms, dangerous weapons and cult paraphernalia.

Agbonika said 45 assorted firearms, including AK-47 rifles, pump-action guns, locally made pistols and cut-to-size guns as well as 163 rounds of live ammunition and five empty magazines, were also recovered.

He said: “In various operations, 40 suspected kidnappers were arrested. Eleven other suspects were arrested for armed robbery and other violent crimes.

“Cultism remains a major concern in parts of the state. The command has intensified its efforts through the ongoing house-to-house search of cultists and has so far arrested 124 suspected cultists, many of whom have confessed to belonging to proscribed confraternities such as the Maphites, Ayes, NBM, Jurists Confraternity and Eiye.

“Forty-six suspects were apprehended with firearms in Benin City, while others were arrested in Jattu, Auchi, Ekpoma, Igbanke, Ikoro community etc with dangerous weapons and cult paraphernalia. These arrests have helped to significantly reduce the wave of inter-cult violence that recently plagued parts of the state