Over 40 suspected cultists were on Saturday arrested by the Delta State Police Command during their initiation in Ubulu-Unor, Aniocha South Local Government Area of the state.
The acting spokesman for the command, DSP Bright Edafe, who stated this on Monday in Asaba, alleged that a vigilante group in the town was keeping watch for the cultists.
Edafe said, “Credible information and intelligence gathered over a period of time by the Delta State Police Command’s Anti-Cult Unit revealed that the Aiye Confraternity would be carrying out an initiation in the Ubulu-Unor bush.
“The SACU operatives mobilised to the scene and arrested 40 male suspected cultists.
“When the police got to the venue of the initiation, some armed men, who claimed to be members of the Ubulu-Unor Vigilante group, were seen keeping watch and aiding the said cultists to carry out their initiation and they were also arrested.
He added that items recovered from the suspects include a revolver pistol with 11 pieces of live ammunition, one locally-made single-barrelled gun, one pump action gun, eight vehicles and one Mitsubishi pickup van with the inscription, ‘Ubulu-Unor Vigilante’, among others.
According to him, the Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Ali, urged all officers and men of the command to keep the tempo to make the state crime free in line with the mandate of the acting Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba.
Edafe called on members of the public, vigilantes, anti-cultism groups and other volunteers to resist the urge to be used by miscreants to fulfil their evil motives, and work with the police to aid their arrest and bring peace and security to the state.
