Operatives of the Edo State Police Command of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested one Bello Salami at the Benin Airport renamed as Oba Akenzua II Airport while the suspected member of Maphite secret cult group was trying to flee the state after he was allegedly involved in the killing of three persons said to be members of the state vigilante group in the ongoing rising cult war in Edo State where many people have been killed in recent weeks in areas like Auchi and Benin City, the state capital.

According to the Edo State Police Command in a statement issued and made available by the Command Spokesperson, Moses Yamu on Thursday evening, “the fight against cultism and other heinous crimes in Edo State and the bid to restore confidence in the public has been further demonstrated by the Edo State Police Command with the recent successes recorded across the State, especially with the arrest of one Bello Salami, 33 years, member of the Maphite Confraternity who was fingered in the recent killing of 3 vigilante members along wire road in Benin-City.

The suspect, a confessed maphite was arrested on 28 June 2025 at about 10:00 hours at the Benin airport, while attempting to flee the State.

In another development, on 26th June 2025 at about 15:00 hours, while acting on credible Intelligence, operatives of the Aduwawa Division arrested the duo of Abdulahi Eriamiator, 18 years and Moses Humphrey, 25 years, all members of the Vikings Confraternity.

On the same date at about 18:00 hours, operatives of the South Ibie Division arrested one Ahmed Hakeem, 23 years, a member of the Aye Confraternity.

Further investigation led to the arrest of Williams Kayode, 25 years, David Sylvester, 21 years, Oshoke Itepu, 22 years, Emmanuel Monday, 27 years and Daniel Ehichioya, 21 years, all residents of South Ibie in Etsako West Local Governamt Area, as well as the recovery of one shotgun, four live cartridges, two battle axes, one cutlass, a bunker of “ice”, an illicit drug in their possession. All of them have confessed to being members of the Aye Confraternity.

Similarly, Operatives of Irrua Division led by the DPO acting on actionable intelligence arrested one Ogbe Osaghele, 29 years, of Ebhoakhuale-Ekpoma at Idumebo-Irrua with a cut-to-size shotgun and two live cartridges.

Efforts are ongoing to apprehend one Odion Osaghele and two others now at large, who are also members of the Aye Confraternity.

In the same vein on 28 June 2025, operatives of the Ekpoma Area Command tracked and arrested one Itua Odion, 22 years, at a hotel in Ekpoma, through credible information.

Upon immediate search of his vehicle, an unregistered Ash Colored Lexus RX 350, one fabricated pistol with two live cartridges were recovered. The suspect confessed to be the Esan Area Zonal Leader, (that is) number 1 of Neo Black Movement (NBM) aka Black Axe Confraternity.

While on 29 June 2025 at about 15:00 hours, operatives of the Jattu Division raided a flash point along Ibie road and arrested one Hamza Umoru 27 years of Ikabigbo community. The suspects has confessed to being members of the Vikings Confraternity.

On the same note, operatives of Auchi Division intercepted and arrested Emmanuel Udeh, 27 years, Kalifa Kabir 24 years and Ashiru Ahmed, 22 years all of various locations in Auchi in possession of a Jojef Magnum pump action with breech number 23YT0083. The trio disguised as iron scraps scavengers with the firearm concealed in like manner.

Lastly, today 01 July 2025 at about 01: 30 hours, the home of one Jerry Orobor ‘male’, 50 years, at Number 6 Ewinmandowan street off major road in Amagba community, was raided based on credible information.

Upon search of his house and premises, one automatic double barrel shotgun with ten live cartridges and one face cap bearing Aye Confraternity logo were recovered from him. The suspect has been taken into custody for further investigation.

All suspects would be arraigned before the court as soon as investigations are concluded.

On this note, the Commissioner of Police CP Monday Agbonika, fdc reassures the general public that the Command remains resolute in the sustained fight against cultism, while calling on the good people of Edo State to go about their lawful businesses and never hesitate to report any suspicious activities around them to the Police”, the Police stated.

We had reported that the Policemen in Edo State of Nigeria have arrested seven persons suspected to be members of a secret cult group while the suspects were in the act trying to kill a commercial motorcycle driver also known as Okada rider at Sapele road axis in Benin City.

We had reported that the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika has announced the commencement of house to house arrest of people suspected or identified as members of a secret cult group in the South South geopolitical state of Nigeria.

We had reported that the Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo has called for more stakeholders supports and actions towards ending secret cult related killings and other organised violent crimes in the state, stating that the aged long secret cult war in the South South state of Nigeria has driven away a lot of investors and as such, Edo State has been at a loss of one billion dollar every year, with statistics, according to the Governor showing that the natives of Edo State top the list of the highest diaspora remittances in Nigeria, but, over 95 percent of the natives divert the funds to other states to avoid secret cult violence in the state also known as the Heartbeat of the nation. 

We had reported that the Edo State Government led by Governor Monday Okpebholo has issued an Executive Order, blacklisting a government registered acclaimed sociocultural organisation, the Neo Black Movement, NBM as a violent organisation among those responsible for violent crimes of high rates of secret cult related homicide  killings in the state, and in a swift reaction, the President of the Neo Black Movement of Africa, NBM, Olorogun Ese Kakor while speaking with a panel of presenters at Arise News Television during the TV programme, accused the Governor, Monday Okpebholo of allegedly using members of the Black Axe Confraternity during his election, adding that the Governor never consulted with them to know if members of Black Axe Confraternity are also members of the Neo Black Movement, saying, the Governor is now attacking NBM because of Black Axe, stressing that, Black Axe Confraternity is a criminal organisation, insisting that, members of the confraternity are never members of the NBM, and shortly after the NBM President statement, large group of Youths in Edo State led a solidarity protest match to the Edo State Government House in Benin City to express their support and willingness to defend the government policies and actions to stop the massive destructions of lives and creation of young widows and high rates of fatherless children in the state due to secret cult activities; this, assessments of some of the pro government policy protesters indicated that some of them are people who may have identified themselves in the past as members of the Neo Black Movement and they also appeared to be people very loyal to one of the prominent leaders of the NBM, Anthony Adun aka Tony Kabaka who trend when he was interviewed about the activities of the NBM in a BBC documentary published by the British broadcasting service some years back.

We had repored that, in apparent anger, Edo State Government under the leadership of Governor Monday Okpebholo has issued a serious warning with a strong message sent to the President of the Neo Black Movement of Africa, NBM, Olorogun Ese Kakor that the Edo State Government has started consultations to enable it take more appropriate legal action against the Neo Black Movement, saying, the International Headquarters or Secretariat of the Movement situated at Amagba area in Benin City that was demolished last month by the State Government, has been an enclave used for planning and execution of secret cult related killings by members of the Neo Black Movement the Governor also referred to and described as Black Axe secret cult, probably expressing more anger that the leadership and members of the Neo Black Movement had the courage to come out publicly to identify themselves with the demolished building, the governor said they will be made to face prosecution, this, the National President of the Neo Black Movement, Olorogun Ese Kakor while speaking in reaction to the demolished building on Arise News TV programme, said, the Movement is not Black Axe, emphasizing that Black Axe is a criminal organisation while the Neo Black Movement is a social cultural organisation that promote and engage in humanitarian services.

It would be recalled that we had reported that the Edo State Police Command of Nigeria Police Force has confirmed the arrest of 95 persons in connection with the killing of more than 15 people between April 25, 2025 and now in the renewed deadly and bloody apparent supremacy secret cult war in the state among members of the Black Axe Confraternity aka Aye, Maphite Confraternity aka Great Men and Eiye Confraternity aka Airlords which started with the killing of a physiotherapist, simply identified as Alex, and another individual at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH back gate, Ugbowo, in Benin, with the Edo State Government led by Governor Monday Okpebholo launching a retaliatory war against businesses and individuals allegedly aiding secret cult killings in the state; thus, sealed off Eterno Hotel, planned to demolish the hotel owed by Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Chieftain, Honourable Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, who was the Director General of Asue/Ogie Campaign Organisation in the last Governorship election in the state, on the ground that a particular secret cult group members gathered at the Eterno Hotel to plan their recent killings in the state, and in addition, the Edo State governor also sealed off and marked a residential building for demolition also owed by a PDP Chieftain, Francis Inegbineki.