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Tag: cultist

  • Suspected cultist, robber nabbed enroute attack on rival group in Anambra 

    Suspected cultist, robber nabbed enroute attack on rival group in Anambra 

    Police in Anambra state have arrested two persons over alleged cult and armed robbery cases in Ifitedunu, Dunukofia Local Government Area of the state.

    Command spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga who disclosed this on Friday said the suspects were apprehended by operatives attached to the Special Anti Cultism Squad, Enugu Ukwu.

    He said the suspects were allegedly on mission to attack a rival cult group, adding that one locally made pistol and five rounds of live ammunition were recovered from them.

    He said: “Operatives of the Anambra State Police Command attached to the Special Anti Cultism Squad Enugu Ukwu on the evening of October 16, 2025 while on Aberdeen patrol along Ukpomili–Ifitedunu Road, Dunukofia Local Government Area, intercepted a black-coloured Lexus car with registration number RSH 613 AZ, driven by one Chiemerie Udeh, aged 22 years. 

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    “Upon a thorough search of the vehicle and the suspect, the operatives recovered one locally made pistol and five rounds of live ammunition.

    “Given the above discovery, the suspect was immediately arrested and the firearm, ammunition and vehicle were taken into custody as exhibits for further investigation. 

    “Meanwhile, preliminary investigation revealed that the vehicle may have been stolen and was en route for a planned rivalry cult attack.

    “The Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu commended the operatives for their vigilance and professionalism, reaffirming the Command’s commitment to sustaining the tempo against cultism and violent crimes across the State.”

  • Suspected cultist dies inaftermath of Lagos clash

    Suspected cultist dies inaftermath of Lagos clash

    A 25-Year-Old suspected cultist has lost his life to cult clashes in Ajegunle part of Lagos, police spokesman in Lagos State, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said yesterday.

    He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that police had arrested two suspects in connection with the clashes.

    Hundeyin explained that police received a distress call on Friday that suspected cultists of Nasamu and Iyalode Streets at Ajegunle were engaging themselves in a free-for-all.

    Read Also: Suspected cultists kill one, injure others in Anambra

    He said the suspected cultists damaged six commercial vehicles at Boundary Roundabout, Ajegunle during the clashes.

    “Based on the report, teams of policemen mobilised to the scene and dislodged the suspects, many of who fled the scene.

    “Police operatives, however, combed the area and arrested two of the hoodlums in their hideouts.

    “One other suspect, a 25-year-old, who was seriously injured during the clash, was rescued and rushed to the hospital where he later died,” Hundeyin said.

  • Don’t mistake me for cultist because of “Oleku” movie, actor tells Nigerians

    Yemi Shodimu, a veteran actor and lead character in the timeless movie “Oleku”, on Friday said many Nigerians took him for a cultist, a role r he acted in the movie.

    Shodimu acted the character of Ajani, a cult member in `Oleku’ produced by Tunde Kelani in 1997.

    He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the character was not his true personality.

    Shodimu, also a television presenter and movie director, said that Nigerians should be able to differentiate an actor’s personality from his role in a play.

    “Some people cannot still differentiate between Yemi Shodimu in reality and Ajani in the play, `Oleku’.

    “Imagine somebody stopping me a couple of weeks back, giving certain signs and expecting me to respond; I got to know that those signs were for a particular secret cult which I acted as a member in `Oleku’.

    “The truth is that I have never been anywhere close to being a cultist apart from being a palm wine drinking club member which I also portrayed in the play.

    “I had to study that particular role well before being able to act it well,” he said.

    Shodimu said that the greatest challenge he had in the movie was understanding Ajani’s character well to depict the exact role Oleku’s producer wanted.

    According to him, understanding the role involved much research.

    “Before I could interpret the role well, I did a lot of research into what life was like in the University of Ibadan and other universities because I needed to imbibe the character of Ajani in the university.

    “It took a long time to get into that character, it took a lot of energy to retain it and it took a much longer time to get out of it.

    “It was really a challenging one for me; the movie was released decades ago and we never knew it was going to be that big.

    “I feel we shot the movie earlier than we should because if it were now, we would be telling a different story as it will further realign us with our culture,” he said.

    NAN reports that `Oleku’ birthed the fashion of knee-length `Iro and buba’ called Oleku in Yorubaland. (NAN)

  • Police arrest four suspected cultists in Rivers

    The Police Command in Rivers has arrested four cult kingpins suspected to have masterminded incessant cult wars in Rumuolumeni, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

    The Command’s Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO), DSP Nnamdi Omoni, said this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Monday.

    He said the cultists were arrested during a sting operation by operatives of the Rumuolumeni Divisional Police Station on April 18, at about 2100 hours.

    According to him, the arrest was made in a bid to stem the rising cult activities in the state.

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    “They were arrested with one English made revolver pistol and three live ammunition and have made useful confessions.

    “Meanwhile efforts are on to arrest other members of the gang, and they will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

    “The war against armed banditry in the state is on and we can only do better with the support of the public,’’ he added.

    He, however, urged residents to always report suspicious characters and movements to the police via 08033312261, 08033396638 and 08098880134.

  • Updated: Outrage as cultists kill corps members in Bayelsa

    There was outrage in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State on Thursday following gruesome murder of corps members by cultists during one of their robbery operations.

    It was gathered the cult members, in what has become a regular occurrence in the capital city, stormed the corps members’ residence along the School Road in Swali and shot three of them.

    While two of the victims were said to have been confirmed dead at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Yenagoa, the third one was said to be lying critically injured and receiving treatment at the hospital.

    Cult groups have overrun Yenagoa killing and robbing residents at will under circumstances that seem to have overwhelmed the police and other security agencies.

    Residents lampooned the police and other security outfits for their inability to tame rampaging gunmen, who shoot victims at slightest provocation and rob them of their smart phones, cash, laptops and other valuables.

    They wondered how a small town like Yenagoa with headquarters of the 16th Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Central Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy, Mobility Command of the Airforce, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe (ODS), the police, the DSS and other security outfits could be overrun by cult members.

    The attacked corps members were identified as 30-year-old Popoola Oluwatobi Olamide, a graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) and an indigene of Oyo State; George Onokpoma and Gbenga Dada.

    Popoola was reportedly shot dead at the spot, Onokpoma died at the FMC while Gbenga was said to be receiving treatment for gunshot wounds at the medical centre.

    The room where the corps members were attacked was riddled with bullets and the floor had thick blood stains of the victims signifying the horror that led to their death.

    Narrating how the incident occurred, a resident of the area, who spoke in confidence, said the hoodlums were about seven during the attack that occurred at about 9pm.

    He said: “We heard gunshots from the direction of the corps members’ room.

    ‘’One of the attacked corps members was heard screaming repeatedly and asking what was their crime. Another gunshot sounded and there was silence”.

    Another neighbour also said that the victims, who were discharging their primary responsibilities at a private school, the Victory Group of Schools, close to their residence, were awake marking examination scripts of their students, when the gunmen barricaded the building.

    “We are saddened by this incident. The deceased corps members were quiet and easy-going individuals.

    ‘’They hardly kept late night. They were always sitting at their doorpost whenever there was power outage,” he said.

    But angry reactions continued to trail the general insecurity in Yenagoa and the killing of the corps members with most residents questioning the essence of having many security outfits in the capital city.

    An eyewitness, who identified himself as David, said he saw the lifeless bodies of the corps members and wondered why the insecurity had been allowed to degenerate in the state.

  • Police arrest cultists who chopped-off man’s wrist

    The Enugu State Police Command has in an overnight operation arrested two suspected cultists in Emene community, an Enugu suburb.

    The command’s spokesman, SP Ebere Amaraizu, in a statement on Thursday said that the suspects were arrested at 8.00 p.m. on Wednesday.

    Amaraizu said that the command’s operatives also recovered a chopped-off wrist, two axes and a black cap from the suspects.

    He said that their victim, whose left hand wrist was chopped off, was identified as one Chijioke Chiaha.

    “It was, however, gathered that some groups of suspected cultists, on March 5 in the night at Eke Obinagu junction axis of Emene, had allegedly engaged themselves in a fight over a yet to be established issue which resulted to some injuries.

    The spokesman said two of the suspected cult members belonging to Junior Aieyes confraternity had been arrested.

    He said that one of the suspects told the police that he got a call from someone (names withheld), believed to be a cult leader in charge of Eke Emene Branch for a certain peace talk with other cult members at Eke Obinagu Emene Junction.

    “On his way to the place, he was nabbed by the security operatives of the command who had intervened promptly based on distress call received.

    “The victim, who confessed he used to be a member of a cult group, said he waited to board a tricycle to his house when suddenly three persons on a motorcycle approached him from behind and chop of his hand and drove away,’’ he alleged.

    Amaraizu said that the suspect in question identified his caller as one of those behind the chopping-off of his wrist.

    The command’s spokesman said that full scale investigation had commenced into the incident.

  • Court remands four for alleged Cultism, kidnap

    A Chief Magistrates Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Monday ordered the remand in Prison custody of four persons for alleged Cultism and Kidnap.

    The suspects are Barizaa Teeiye ’25’, Emmanuel Osaroejiji ’27’, Nale Dumbor ’34’ and Bari Jonah ’31’.

    They are alleged to have belonged and participated in the activities of a secret cult called ‘Degbam’.

    They also allegedly kidnapped one Chibuike Ezenkwe while armed with locally made pistols and other dangerous weapons.

    They allegedly carried out their evil plans at Eleme local government area, Rivers State on May 29, 2018.

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    The prosecutor, Wilson Isaiah told the court that their offence contravenes section 7 (C), 1 (1) of the secret cult and similar activities (prohibition) laws of Rivers State No. 6, of 2004 and 1 (2) (b) of the Rivers State Kidnap (prohibition) law number, 3 of Rivers State 2009.

    The three-count charge of kidnapping, secret cult and similar activities was not read to them because the court lacks jurisdiction to hear the matter hence they did not take any plea.

    The Magistrate, Sokari Andrew-Jaja ordered that the suspects be remanded in prison custody and the case file remitted to the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for advice.

    He adjourned the case till February 7, 2019 for DPP’s advice.

  • How my gang killed 17-year-old varsity student in Bayelsa – Cultist

    …31 cultists arrested for murder, armed robberies

     

    A confessed cultist, Junior Daumunabo, Tuesday admitted that his gang was responsible for the killing of 17-year-old 100 level student of the Niger Delta University (NDU), Seifa Fred.

    Daumunabo, who was among 31 cultists paraded at the state police command, Yenagoa, for murder, robberies and other crimes, however, claimed he did not partake in the operation that killed Seifa.

    Read Also:Police arraign suspected cultists terrorising Lagos community

    The 20-year-old, who is a member of the Greenland cult group, said his gang was always in the habit of attacking people within Yenagoa and collecting their android phones.

    But he said that he refused to join in the operation that killed Seifa because he was scared the deceased could identify his face.

    He said while his gang members embarked on the evil mission, he sat close to one supermarket in Amarata to wait for them.

    “When they came back, they said they killed the girl and l asked why? They told me the girl was dragging the phone with them and they shot her. I didn’t shoot her. I didn’t follow them in the operation”, he said.

    When asked to name his gang members that shot the innocent teenager, he identified them as Richman and Enemor.

    He, however, said he was arrested with a locally-made pistol in another operation he embarked upon with two other cultists to rob people of their phones.

    “We were three going to steal phones and we were in a tricycle. Suddenly, members of the Bayelsa Vigilant Service appeared. Two others with me ran away. I was caught in the process. They retrieved the gun from my hand. I have been robbing phones,” he said.

    Parading the suspects, the Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan, said the crimes committed in the state were driven by cultism and abuse of illicit drugs.

    He said Daumunabo, whose gang killed Seifa, was assisting the police to arrest other fleeing members of his group.

  • Police arraign suspected cultists, terrorising Lagos community

    Eight men who allegedly terrorised members of the public, were on Monday brought before an Ogudu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos by the Police.

    The men are listed as: Olarigbe Olanrewaju, 22; Moses Ademola, 23; Evans Ezikiel, 20; Taiwo Oluwasegun, 19; Ganiyu Bashiru, 21; Wasiu Balogun, 29; Sundau Omete, 24; and Tunde James, 20.

    The men were alleged to have deployed dangerous weapons in a manner to cause breach of peace in the Oke-Iranle area of Ajah, in Lagos.

    They are facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, membership of an unlawful society and unlawful display of arms in the public.

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bail in the sum of N50, 000 each by the Magistrate, Mrs E. Kubeinje.

    The magistrate in her ruling ordered the accused to produce two sureties each in like sum.

    Read Also: Suspected cultists behead two in Rivers

    In addition, the sureties should show evidence of tax payments, to the Lagos State Government.

    Earlier, Police Prosecutor, Insp. Lucky Ihiehie, told the court that the accused committed the offences on Nov. 8 at Oke-Iranle area of Ajah, in Lagos, at about 11:00 p.m.

    He said that the eight accused, conspired with themselves as members of Eiye Confraternity and engaged themselves in a fight with another group of unknown boys with dangerous weapons.

    “Some members of the public also sustained serious injuries while some properties were destroyed.

    “They were arrested by a team of police men, led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Langbasa Division, Ajah and transferred to the Anti- Cultism Unit, State CID, Yaba on Nov. 9’’ Ihiehie said.

    The prosecutor said the offences contravened Sections 42 (a), 51 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, (Revised).

    The case was adjourned until Dec. 18 for mention

  • Suspected cultist shot dead

    A man described as a cult leader has been killed in a gun battle with policemen at Ishashi, Ojo, Lagos.

    Olamide Oloruntobi, 31, was said to be the leader of Aiye cult in the area.

    The Nation learnt that he was killed about 8:50pm, on Tuesday at Durosooto Street, New Mebamu, Ishasi.

    He was said to have led some hoodlums to terrorise residents when information got to the Ishasi Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Amuda Abolaji, a Superintendent (SP).

    Abolaji led policemen to the area and engaged the hoodlums in a gun battle.

    Police spokesman Chike Oti, a Chief Superintendent (CSP), in a statement yesterday, said the hoodlums opened fire on the police.

    He said: “His (Oloruntobi’s) locally-made pistol with a live ammunition has been recovered, while the body has been deposited at the Badagry General Hospital mortuary for autopsy.

    “Police Commissioner Imohimi Edgal has directed the DPO to arrest fleeing members of the gang. He has equally directed the head of the Intelligence Unit of the Command to assist the DPO in that regard.

    “The CP said the death of a cultist is not a thing of joy. He advised parents and community leaders to prevail on their children who are members of these unlawful groups, to renounce cultism and surrender their weapons to the police.

    “He added that he will receive them and together with other stakeholders, ensure their reintegration into the society.”