In a statement, the Command's spokesman, Bright Edafe, said about 28 young men were arrested in the operation.
The Delta State Police command has foiled an alleged initiation ceremony of suspected cultists belonging to the Aiye confraternity in the Ukwuani area of the state.
In a statement, the Command's spokesman, Bright Edafe, said about 28 young men were arrested in the operation.
He noted that some arms were also recovered from the suspects.
In a related development, officers on Sunday arrested three suspects in connection with alleged phone theft.
The statement read, “On the 04/07/2021, operatives of the ‘A’ division Quick Response team while on patrol along NPA Link road received information that three young men on a tricycle were robbing innocent citizens of their valuables.
“The team gave the hoodlums a hot chase. On sighting the police patrol team, one of the hoodlums Godbless Joseph sensing danger jumped out of the moving tricycle, he was later arrested while the two others fled with the tricycle. The suspect was searched and one knife, two Infinix phones were recovered from him.
“The two other suspects, one Ovoke Akpovikanyen and Ismaila Mohammed were later apprehended by the Warri Area Command patrol team. The owners of the phones have identified Godbless Joseph to be the person who robbed them of their phones. An investigation is ongoing.
“On the 3/7/2021 at about 0300hrs, iy soir State Anti-Cult Unit (SACU) detectives on a tip-off of intelligence got a piece of information that there will be a cult initiation at a bush in Ogume community forest in Ukwuani LGA of Delta State by members of the Aiye confraternity group a.k.a black axe.
“The commander SACU detailed police operatives who stormed the bush around 0300 hours midnight, a total of twenty-eight male suspects were arrested, though four suspects namely Obanor Osasuyi, Oliseh Onimichi, Moses Samuel and Olusola Ese had already begun the process of initiation, but the timely intervention of the police, the initiation process could not be completed, why the other suspects were not initiated.
“Items recovered included two (2) locally made single barrel guns, eight (8) vehicles, six (6) motorcycles and charms. An investigation is ongoing."
In a similar vein, officers on Saturday arrested two young men, who confessed to have stolen the vehicle they were driving in, from a Reverend Father in Owerri.
Edafe further said the Delta state police Rapid Response Squad arrested four suspects namely Prince Onotanare, Gift Ogbeje, Lucky Egere and Charles Eungu suspected to be armed robbers and cultists.
He said they all confessed to be members of Aiye and JVC confraternities.
“On the 3/7/2021, Safer Highway 018 stationed at Alifikede boundary between Edo and Delta States, while on stop and search intercepted a Toyota Camry with Reg. No. RLU 04 MBB ash colour driven by Tochukwu Obinakana with Mohammed Maduabuchi. On interrogation, they could not give a satisfactory account of themselves.
“They were arrested and taken to the station for further investigation where they later confessed that the said vehicle was snatched at gun point from a Reverend father in Owerri. The vehicle was recovered and both suspects arrested. Investigation is ongoing.
”The Delta state police Rapid Response Squad have arrested four suspected Armed robbers/cultist. They were arrested On 2/7/2021 at about 0925hrs, while men of RRS were on patrol along Udu Road Warri.
“The four suspects namely Prince Onotanare of Ekurude Warri, Gift Ogbeje of Ekurude Warri, Lucky Egere of No. 7 Old Egan Roadx Orhowunho community, Charles Eungu of opposite Ultimate Hotel Jeddo and Joshua Omatseye of Ekurude Warri were intercepted along Otokutu bridge Udu Warri.
“The Operative of RRS who had reasons to suspect them, subjected them to search, a fabricated barretta pistol with 9mm live ammunition was recovered from the first suspect, they all confessed to be members of Aiye and JVC confraternities. Investigation is ongoing.”