Police arrest 35 cultists in Benue

The Police in Benue State have arrested 35 suspected cultists from two Local Government Areas of the state. State Commissioner of Police, Bashir Makama said yesterday when he paraded the suspects at the Command headquarters in Makurdi said 26 of the suspects between ages of 31 and 18 who claimed to belong to the ‘Black […]

The Police in Benue State have arrested 35 suspected cultists from two Local Government Areas of the state.

State Commissioner of Police, Bashir Makama said yesterday when he paraded the suspects at the Command headquarters in Makurdi said 26 of the suspects between ages of 31 and 18 who claimed to belong to the ‘Black Axe Confraternity’ were in convoy of three commercial vehicles on their way to Makurdi from Ogbadigbo local government area with the intention to cause mayhem on residents of North bank community in Makurdi when they were arrested.

He added that the remaining nine suspects were apprehended in Lessel town of Ushongo local government area by policemen on patrol following a receipt of information about a cult clash which led the security operatives to quickly move to the scene and arrested one Shedrack Shior.

The police commissioner said upon interrogation, the 20-year-old, Shior, confessed to being a member of the Black Axe cult group and led the policemen to the arrest of the eight others in connection with their cult activities.

Makama listed the items recovered from the suspects to include; one blood stained cutlass, one axe and one knife just as he warned that the command would not tolerate any act of unrest in the state.