From Tony Osauzo, Benin
The Edo State Police Command, yesterday, announced that it arrested 175 suspects for different offences between April and July 20 this year.
The state Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, who announced this at a press conference in Benin, said 124 of the suspects were arrested for cultism, 40 for kidnapping while 11 were apprehended for armed robbery and other violent crimes, explaining that 46 of the suspects were apprehended with firearms, dangerous weapons and cult paraphernalia.
He stated that the arrests were made possible through coordinated intelligence-driven operations, community support, and inter-agency collaboration, adding that the command has made significant strides in tackling criminal elements across the state.
The Commissioner listed items recovered from the suspects to include 45 assorted firearms, consisting 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.
He also disclosed that 62 kidnapped victims were rescued from their abductors, with 14 of them passengers of an ill-fated bus adding that a 12-year- old girl was killed by the kidnappers while one of the passengers is still unaccounted for and assured that efforts were on to locate the missing individual.
“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 (46) suspects were apprehended with firearms in Benin, 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”, Agbonika, further disclosed.
He said the command remained fully committed to its mandate of protecting lives and property, while urging members of the public to continue to support the police by providing timely and credible information.
Besides, the Edo Police boss commended the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, for his guidance and the governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, for his support, as well as all officers and men of the Command for their tireless efforts.
.
