Police foil cult initiation, arrest 13 suspects, recover cars

Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have arrested 13 suspected members of the Aiye Confraternity.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the arrest followed an intelligence report gathered by the Divisional Police Officer, Issele-Uku, on Thursday, February 24, 2022, that some cultists planned an initiation ceremony at the Ukwu Nzu Forest, in the Issele-Uku area of the state.

The DPO was said to have detailed an anti-cult team to the initiation venue.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe, who confirmed the incident on Monday, said the police arrested 13 suspects.

“A locally-made double-barrelled shotgun, 25 live cartridges, a Toyota Corolla and a Lexus 350 SUV were recovered from the suspects,” he added.

In another development, operatives of the Delta Dragon 18 Patrol Team, while on a routine stop and search on February 24, along ECN/Otu-Jeremi Aladja Road, reportedly sighted a Mercedes Benz ML 350 and a Lexus 350, parked by the roadside.

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The police spokesperson said, “While observing the two vehicles, a kidnapped victim, aged 62, on sighting the police raised the alarm that he had been kidnapped.

“As the patrol team swung into action, advancing towards the vehicles, they   suddenly heard gunshots from the abductors, but the security operatives immediately returned fire, which made the hoodlums to abandon the victim and escape into the bush, while the team rescued the victim unhurt.