The Delta State Police Command has arrested six suspected cultists during separate intelligence-led operations in Ika South and Aniocha North Local Government Areas of the state.
The operations, conducted between September 15 and 18, also led to the recovery of four firearms, six live cartridges, a battle axe, two cutlasses, mobile phones, a laptop, suspected illicit drugs and military camouflage items.
The command disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday by its spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe.
According to the statement, operatives of the Special Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Sector III, Ubulu-Uku, arrested two suspected cultists during an operation at Alisheme Community, Ika South, on September 18.
The suspects were identified as 18-year-old Destiny Okafor and 22-year-old Sunday Bryan.
The police said preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects were members of the NBM Confraternity and were allegedly involved in cultism and kidnapping-related activities.
A locally fabricated single-barrelled gun, a battle axe, two cutlasses, mobile phones and a laptop were recovered from them.
In another operation on September 15, the Divisional Police Officer, Issele-Uku Division, led a combined team of police anti-cult personnel, vigilantes, hunters and Forest Security operatives in a search operation around Ogboli Quarter and other parts of Issele-Uku.
The operation resulted in the arrest of four suspected cultists and the recovery of two locally made pistols, a pump-action gun and six live cartridges.
Meanwhile, the Command Anti-Cult Unit, Asaba, intercepted a Toyota Sienna allegedly conveying suspected illicit drugs and military accessories.
The vehicle, which was travelling from Onitsha towards Ondo State, was intercepted around 4:50am on September 18.
The driver, identified as 45-year-old Isaac Urji from Abia State, was arrested after the police searched the vehicle and allegedly found cartons of suspected Tramadol and other illicit drugs, alongside military camouflage uniforms, boots and hats.
The police said investigations were ongoing to determine the source and intended destination of the consignment and identify other persons connected to it.
The Commissioner of Police in Delta State, CP Samuel Erale, said the command would continue to deploy intelligence-led operations to tackle kidnapping, cultism and the proliferation of illegal firearms.
Earle urged residents to provide the police with credible information about criminal activities, assuring them that such information would be treated confidentially.
He said, “The command remains committed to sustaining intelligence-led operations against kidnapping, cultism and the proliferation of illegal firearms across the state.”
The police said investigations into all the cases were ongoing.
