Officers of the CP-Special Assignment Team (CP-SAT) of the Delta State Police Command have arrested suspected cult leaders linked to a murder case in Ughelli, the headquarters of Ughelli North Local Government Area.
The arrests, which followed separate operations in Ughelli and Asaba, also led to the recovery of assorted firearms, the police disclosed on Tuesday.
According to a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, the operation in Ughelli was conducted following ongoing investigations into a cult-related killing that occurred on January 15 in the Iwhrekpokpo area of the town. Acting on credible intelligence, CP-SAT operatives, led by Julius Robinson, raided a hotel in the Ekuigbo area at about 11:30 a.m. on March 6.
The raid resulted in the arrest of 30-year-old Joshua Okpogona of Okwarabe Community, identified as the current Ughelli leader of the Supreme Vikings Confraternity and the alleged mastermind of the killing. Raphael Omokerhe, 37, also known as “Black Python,” and the immediate past leader of the same cult group, was arrested in the operation.
“Investigation is ongoing, and efforts are being intensified to apprehend other fleeing suspects connected to the crime,” the statement said.
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In a separate intelligence-driven operation aimed at dismantling criminal networks in the state capital, CP-SAT operatives raided a hideout at Umunaji near Stop Abortion Junction in Asaba at about 4:35 a.m. on March 8.
The operation led to the arrest of 22-year-old Chukwudi Ekenna. A search of the hideout resulted in the recovery of a fabricated Beretta pistol, two locally made cut-to-size guns, and 10 live cartridges believed to have been used in cult-related and armed robbery activities in Asaba and its environs.
The police said Ekenna is providing useful information to aid efforts in apprehending other members of the criminal network.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Aina Adesola, reassured residents of the command’s commitment to sustaining the crackdown on cultism and other crimes. He urged the public to continue supporting the police with credible, timely information, emphasizing that community cooperation is critical to ensuring a safer Delta State.