Cynthia Ezegwu
Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have arrested members of a suspected cult and arms-dealing syndicate in separate operations that led to the recovery of multiple firearms and ammunition.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, saying the arrests followed credible intelligence and swift operational response.
According to Edafe, the first operation was triggered on October 25, 2025, when a resident of Aviara community in Isoko South Local Government Area reported a viral video showing suspected Eiye cult activities posted on a WhatsApp group called Real Men.
Acting on the report, the Divisional Police Officer of Oleh Division, CSP Keme Osuluku, deployed operatives to discreetly investigate. The team arrested a suspect, 29-year-old Donatus Odovo, linked to the post. Further investigation led to the arrest of another suspect, 36-year-old Zachariah Okeh, identified as an alleged Eiye cult leader in the community.
During a search at Okeh’s residence, police recovered one locally made double-barrelled gun, one single-barrelled gun, and six live cartridges. Both suspects are in custody as investigations continue to track additional collaborators.
In a separate operation, on October 27, 2025, officers of the Rapid Response Squad, while conducting stop-and-search duties along the Asaba–Benin Expressway, intercepted a Toyota RAV4 vehicle with registration number EPE 189 GN, driven by 45-year-old Mordi Emmanuel.
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During a routine check, an envelope found inside the vehicle contained a fabricated Beretta pistol with breech No. 5182207 and four live rounds. A subsequent search at the suspect’s residence led to the recovery of a pump-action shotgun with breech No. 20-R-3921 and four additional cartridges.
The suspect and exhibits are currently in police custody.
The Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, commended the officers’ professionalism and residents’ cooperation, reaffirming the Command’s zero tolerance for cultism, armed robbery, kidnapping, and illegal possession of firearms.
He urged the public to remain vigilant and provide timely, credible information to the police, assuring that the Command will sustain intelligence-led operations and community policing efforts across the state.