Police launches war on cultists; arrests 100, kills one, recovers military rifle, live ammunition

Irked by the alarming increase in cult clashes resulting in deaths, and kidnappings in Delta State, the state Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Ali Arri, has given Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) and Area Commanders the marching orders to fish out all cultists in the state.

A dependable source close to the CP disclosed that the order was given during an emergency meeting he held with the DPOs and tactical team leaders on Thursday in Asaba, the state capital.

The order was said to have paid off when one of his tactical teams code named RRS led by Chief Superintended of Police, CSP Masoyi Dadi, stormed a hideout of cultists at Oguma and arrested 25 of them during an initiation ceremony on Friday night. Ten vehicles were said to have been recovered from the cultists.

Similarly, another team stormed Ogwashiuku and engaged several cult members in a gun battle. Several arms and ammunition were recovered from them while they escaped with bullet wounds. One AK50 military rifle with 19AK 50 live ammunition were recovered. Also recovered were three locally made double barrel guns with 20 live cartridges.

Meanwhile, in Warri one of the suspected cultist was shot dead on Friday night by police detectives from B Division.

During the emergency meeting on Thursday the CP was said to have warned his officers that he would no longer tolerate the activities of cultists in the state. He was said to have threatened to deal with any DPO in whose jurisdiction cult cases are recorded.

CP Mohammed, who spoke on phone on Saturday, confirmed the story. He disclosed: “l warned my officers not to spare anyone involved in cultism, no matter the background of such cultists. Nobody is above the law of the land.”

“I assure law abiding residents in the state of their safety But for the criminals Delta State will be too hot for them to operate,” he warned

He also disclosed that “we have charged 27 to court. As l speak with you, 100 of them are in our custody, undergoing interrogation.”