By Newsmata
As the Edo State government continued to put the heat on suspected cultists, the state Police Command has made massive arrests, hurling into its cells 95 alleged members of different cult groups that had engaged in renewed violent clashes which had claimed several lives in the past two weeks in the state.
A statement on Saturday by the Command’s spokesman, Moses Yamu, superintendent of police (SP) said 64 of the suspects have been charged to court and remanded, while investigation continued on the remaining suspects.
Newsmata reports that the raids, carried out in Benin and its environs, according to Yamu, also led to the recovery of firearms. He said those arrested belonged to the Maphites, Eiye and Aye confraternities, who had engaged in a battle for supremacy.
The statement read: “The Edo State Police Command has arrested 95 suspected cultists and recovered two locally made pistols, one single barrel shotgun and 24 live cartridges in sustained intelligence driven raids of their enclaves in Benin and environs for the past week.
“These suspects, who belong to the notorious maphites, eiye and aye confraternities, were suspected to be responsible for the cult supremacy killings in the state.
“64 of the suspects have been charged to court and remanded, while investigation continues on the remaining suspects.”
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, has advised parents and guardians to keep a tab on the activities of their wards to curb the menace of cultism.
Agbonika warned youths in the state to desist from joining unlawful societies that could only dim their future and ultimately claim their lives or that of other innocent persons.