By Our Correspondent
ASABA — In a major crackdown on cult-related violence and criminal activities in Delta State, operatives of the Delta State Police Command have arrested two suspected cultists and recovered a pump-action gun, live cartridges, charms, and suspected illicit drugs during a late-night operation in Ibusa, Oshimili North Local Government Area.
The operation, carried out by officers attached to the Command Anti-Cultism Unit (CACU), took place at about 11:45 p.m. on June 19, 2026, following credible intelligence on the activities of suspected criminal elements in the area.
Police authorities identified the suspects as 26-year-old Okonkwo Prosper, a native of Aniofu in Aniocha North Local Government Area, and 25-year-old Tuesday Emmanuel, who resides at the same address.
According to the Delta State Police Command, the suspects were apprehended during a coordinated raid on a hideout believed to be used by members of a notorious cult group operating within Ibusa and surrounding communities.
A search conducted at the location led to the recovery of an English-made pump-action gun loaded with five live cartridges. Officers also recovered a cutlass, charms believed to be associated with cult activities, and substances suspected to be illicit drugs.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the arrested suspects are allegedly members of a cult group linked to several violent clashes and disturbances that have unsettled residents of Ibusa and neighbouring communities in recent times.
Police sources disclosed that the suspects are currently in custody and assisting investigators with useful information, while efforts have been intensified to track down and arrest other members of the gang who reportedly escaped during the operation.
Reacting to the successful operation, the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Yemi Oyeniyi, reaffirmed the Command's unwavering commitment to combating cultism, violent crimes, and other forms of criminality across the state.
The Police Commissioner warned individuals involved in cult-related activities to abandon such unlawful acts or face the full consequences of the law. He stressed that the Command would continue to deploy intelligence-driven strategies and sustained operations to dismantle criminal networks and ensure the safety of residents.
CP Oyeniyi also called on members of the public to support law enforcement efforts by providing timely and credible information that could assist security agencies in preventing crime and apprehending offenders.
The latest arrest is seen as part of the Delta State Police Command's ongoing campaign to rid communities of cult-related violence and strengthen public safety across the state.
