..14 in police custody as hoodlums abandon rifle
14 suspected cultists linked to a cult-related violence that snowballed into the alleged hijacking of a corpse at a funeral ceremony in Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State have been arrested by men of the Nigeria Police in the State.
Spokesman of the police Command in the State,
ASP Eno Ikoedem said on Monday in a statement that two commercial motorcyclists, were caught in last weekend brutal clash had been hurled by the police to the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, ISTH in the locality for urgent medical attention.
The statement identified 14 members of the brotherhood and their ages as Promise Oyido, 18, Jude Usidebhosoh, 38, Mutairu Alhaji, 23, Samson Usidehofo, 40, Collins Esaigbe, 22, Osemudiamen Iyere, 26, Christian Akhare, 28, Evidence Osamare, 28, Joshua Augustine, 25, Kelvin Micheal, aged 21, Goddey Anuka, 35, Blessed Ohue, 24, Joseph Okhun, 27, and Charles Okhare, 34.
She disclosed that police operatives swiftly intervened, restored normalcy, and recovered eleven cutlasses, one dagger knife, and one shovel as exhibits.
“The incident occurred during a burial ceremony when suspected cult members hijacked a corpse and attacked two commercial motorcyclists, inflicting grievous injuries.
“Police operatives swiftly intervened, restored normalcy, and recovered eleven cutlasses, one dagger knife, and one shovel as exhibits.
“The injured victims were taken to Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital for medical attention, while investigation continues”, according to the police.
In the meantime, suspected hoodlums who engaged security agents in a shootout during bush-combing exercise on the Benin–Lagos Expressway near Ohosu, a border town between Ondo and Edo States have bowed to the
superior firepower.
The statement stated that they the hoodlums were forced to flee into the bush, and in the process, one of the fleeing suspects abandoned an AK-47 rifle loaded with thirty (30) rounds of live ammunition, which was recovered by security agents in the operation on Saturday, January 24.
Similarly, a coordinated drone-assisted bush-combing operation led by CSP Solomon Oseghale was carried out on on Sunday, January 25, 2026 at the Era/Idoha forest axis in Ekpoma in Esan North East Local Government Area of the State.
The operation involving Police tactical units, the Drone Department, Edo State Security Corps, hunters, and vigilante groups, led to the arrest of four suspected kidnappers.
Police spokesperson identified the arrested male suspects as Mohammed Lawal ‘M’, aged 62; Ashiru Ibrahim, 35; Abubakar Umoru, 30; and Umoru Ali, 35.
Other accomplices escaped into the forest with arms, according to police which also recovered some items including two locally fabricated dane guns and four mobile phones at the crime scene.
The statement further said the suspects will be arraigned accordingly, before a court, on the completion of investigations.
