By MIKE OSAROGIAGBON
Benin City – Operatives of Edo State Police Command have paraded a soldier, an amputee and several others for alleged involvement in cult-related activities in the state.
The soldier kitted in military camouflage, and the amputee on his prosthetic leg were conspicuous among the 81 suspected criminals paraded before journalists by the Commissioner of Police in Edo, CP Dan Malam Mohammed at the state police command headquarters in Benin City on Friday, March 22, 2019.
Private Igbagbau Lucky, 25, of the 101SF battalion in Maiduguri was allegedly nabbed while holding a clandestine meeting with some members of his cult group at Ekpoma town, the administrative headquarters of Esan West local government area of the state.
Speaking with journalists during the parade, the soldier admitted membership of Neo Black Movement of Africa aka Black Axe, a dreaded cult group which he joined before he was enlisted in the Nigeria Army in 2017.
“I was a cult member before I joined the army. But on that day, I was celebrating my birthday with some people I invited, I bought them some drinks.
“The police came and said I should just follow them. That was how I was arrested.” The soldier stated.
The amputee who identified himself as Amilor Ejiwun said he was a member of Arubaga, a cult group before he traveled to Libya where he was shot in the lap which led to the amputation of his left leg.
One Leviticus Okon, 24, Endurance Oronsanye, 20, Osarobo Edosa who claimed to be members of Eiye confraternity and Daniel Obi, 17, Osarumwense Egavoen, 19, Obina Stephen, 20 nabbed for armed robbery were also paraded.
Arms, ammunition, knives, items said to be cult paraphernalia were among exhibits recovered from the suspects.CP Dan Malam said the suspects were apprehended at different locations in the state during the command’s renewed onslaught against cultism and other related crimes.
He noted that over 120 suspects have been arrested and more than 18 assorted arms with various calibre of ammunition recovered within the last 40 days of his assumption as CP, Edo State.
The police boss solicited for information and cooperation from members of the public to sustain and improve on the achievements.
He however pledged to arraign the suspects on completion of investigation.
Meanwhile, Mr. Dan Malam said the parade of the 13 suspects arrested in connection with the killing of four cops at Afuze police divisional headquarters in Edo State would scuttle ongoing investigation with the support of sister security agencies.”The reason why I did not want to parade them is because I do not want anything to jeopardize our investigation”.
He said that “the battle line has been drawn between criminals” over the killings which he described as barbaric.
