Operatives of the Bayelsa State Police Command’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit have foiled an alleged assassination plot involving a cleric, following the arrest of two suspects in Yenagoa.
The suspects include a 59-year-old pastor, Elijah Oro, from Ozoro Community in Delta State, and a 21-year-old man, Samuel Daniel, from Nembe Ogbolomabiri Community in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
According to police sources, Daniel is believed to be a member of the Greenlanders confraternity and was allegedly recruited to assassinate a rival prophet in Bayelsa State.
The alleged plot was reportedly triggered by a lingering dispute over church membership and property.
Confirming the arrests, the Police Public Relations Officer, Bayelsa State Command, DSP Musa Mohammed, said the operation was carried out on January 28, 2026, at about 10:35 a.m., following credible and actionable intelligence.
DSP Mohammed disclosed that Samuel Daniel was apprehended within the premises of the intended victim, whose identity was withheld for security reasons.
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Preliminary investigations, he said, indicate that the suspect confessed to being a member of the Greenlanders confraternity and claimed he was hired by Pastor Oro to carry out the killing.
“On 28th January, 2026, operatives of the SWAT Unit, acting on credible intelligence, arrested two suspects, Samuel Daniel, 21, and Pastor Elijah Oro, 59, both allegedly involved in a plot to assassinate a prophet,” the statement said.
The police added that investigations are ongoing to establish the full motive behind the alleged plot and to determine whether other individuals are connected to the case.
The Bayelsa State Police Command reassured residents of its commitment to safeguarding lives and property, while urging members of the public to continue providing timely and reliable information to support crime prevention efforts across the state.