BY JOELSON WILSON
THE Delta State Police Command has recorded a major breakthrough in its renewed war against cultism and violent crime with the arrest of 11 suspected cultists and armed robbers in Ughelli and Sapele, following an intensified manhunt ordered by the Commissioner of Police, CP Aina Adesola.
The operation, carried out by operatives of the Command’s Special Assignment Team (CP-SAT), led to the recovery of a locally-made gun, four live cartridges, a wooden-carved pistol, a battle axe, a bulletproof vest, illicit drugs, and a suspected operational vehicle.
Speaking on the development, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Bright Edafe said the arrests were part of “an intelligence-led crackdown on cultists and other violent criminal elements responsible for recent killings and unrest in parts of the state.”
‘’In Ughelli, police operatives dismantled a cult killing network linked to recent violent clashes in the area. Two suspects: Warri Ochuko, 40, and Lucky Okohwoake, 23; were first arrested following actionable intelligence. Their confessional statements led to a coordinated follow-up operation across the metropolis, resulting in the arrest of six additional suspects.
“A locally made gun and four live cartridges were recovered from the suspects. Preliminary investigations revealed that they are members of the Supreme Vikings Confraternity and confessed to being involved in the killing of one Alex Adanike on January 15, 2026, in the Iwhrekpokpo area of Ughelli,” the police said.
According to him, in a separate operation in Sapele on January 26, operatives stormed a criminal hideout in the Irapa area and arrested three more suspects. Items recovered from the scene included a wooden pistol, a battle axe, a bulletproof vest, quantities of illicit drugs, and a white Toyota Venza vehicle suspected to have been used for criminal operations.
The police spokesman declared that investigations were ongoing to determine the full extent of the suspects’ activities and their possible links to cultism, armed robbery, kidnapping, and other violent crimes.
“The Delta State Police Command remains resolute in its determination to eradicate cultism and other violent crimes. The ongoing manhunt continues, and members of the public are encouraged to provide timely and credible information, with the assurance of strict confidentiality,” SP Edafe added.
