Seven ‘commercial sex workers’ tagged as cultists along with 23 other suspected cultists have been arrested and paraded by the police for aiding and abetting crimes.

The suspects, comprising 23 males and seven females, were arrested by operatives of anti-cultism and anti-robbery units of the police Command in the State.

The command’s spokesman, SP. Chidi Nwabuzor disclosed this while parading the suspects at the police headquarters on Thursday in Benin City, the State Capital.

He revealed that the suspects were raided at different criminal hideouts at New Benin and Siluko axis in Benin Metropolis on Wednesday.

Nwabuzor said, “Arising from a robust campaign and security arrangements against the Cultists in the State, the police operatives of anti cultism Unit of the Edo State police Command, conducted raid exercise in different parts of the State that led to the breakthrough.

“During the raid of the criminal hideout and black spots, the police arrested a total number of 30 Cultists. 23 males and seven females who were brought to the station.

He said, “They (suspects) have made their statements and have confessed being members of different Cult groups in the State. The Commissioner of police, CP. Abutu Yaro, had said that the campaign against criminal elements and Cultists in the State had yielded this result of arrest of 30 suspects”

According to him, “This will serve as a warning to other criminal elements in the State, either to repent or vacate the State”.

He also revealed that “this exercise which is ongoing and it is a continuous one, would ensure that the State is rid of criminal elements and cultism.

The police spokesman said some of the paraded suspects were members of Eiye and Jurist confraternity groups and others.

But, on interrogation, 27-year-old Marian Akodi, a female suspect, told journalists that she is “a new comer in sex trading at a popular Brothel on Wire road in Oredo Local Government Area of the State.

40-year-old Mrs. Rose Okafor, who claimed to be a widow, who migrated from South Eastern part of Nigeria to Edo State, said the police operatives burst into her room at the brothel and arrested her.

The mother of four children and suspected commercial sex worker alleged that she was arrested at the Parliament Brothel, noting that she is not a Cultist.

Favour Ogugua, said, she is a hustler at the Brothel while 40-year-old Samuel Uzoma who claimed to be a manager of Tonero Guest house on Wire road, said he was arrested along with some of his guests.

He alleged that security personnel were relaxing at the pub when policemen burst into Guest house and arrested them.

Also speaking, a male suspect, 21-year-old Favour Tobi who wears dreadlocks, said he was picked while buying noodles at Iyaro area in Benin.

A tricycle operator who claimed to be a Cleric, also denied the allegations levelled against them in which they were arrested by the police on their way home after the day’s work on Wednesday evening in Benin.

Amos Chidi, 35-year-old who was found with a medicine during the parade, denied membership of any cult group.

But, middle-aged man, Isa Bademasi, an indigene of Katsina State who claimed to be a Scavenger, said he was arrested by local Vigilante members in Lagos street in Oredo Local Government Area of the State.

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