From Christiana Gokyo, Jos
The Plateau State Commissioner of Police CP Emmanuel Olugbemiga Adesina disclosed this on Monday (today) at the Police Command while briefing Newsmen in Jos, said, 37 suspects out of 60 suspects were cult members with 23 others for various offences.
The Commissioner while parading the suspects, disclosed that “Yesterday 7/7/2024, was the day these cultists always plan to hold a lot of their engagement, but we were proactive with security agencies.
According to him, the whole command was overwhelmed with security presence raiding their black spots and hideouts based on the information given to the command by the good people of Plateau State.
He said a total number of 118 suspects were apprehended during raiding adding the Police did not allow the cultists to operate freely anywhere in the state, hence the calmness being witnessed yesterday when talking about cultist activities across the state.
Similarly, the Command also arrested another set of cult syndicates and recovered exhibits based on credible intelligence gathering when Police raided an apartment suspected to be the hideout of these cultists.
The Commissioner further explained that, as a result, the Command’s Eagle-Eye Patrol Unit (EEPU) arrested the following suspects; one Obinna Eze (M), 27 years of Uzuwani Enugu State who is an identified ex-convict, a Drug dealer and the hitman of the Aye Confraternity; Jenifer Charles (F), 25 years of Nasarawa State and Milcah Joseph, 27 years of Jos South LGA respectively.
According to him, all had substances suspected to be Indian Hemp, other Narcotic substances and Charms.
He stated that, based on information revealed by the suspects, several other hideouts around Farin Gada were raided, where one Chilebo Moses (m), 19 years of Benue State said to be the Second in Command (Chief Priest) of the Aye confraternity was arrested in the company of one Somto Chukwu (m) 35 years, Chinedu Ede (m) 50 years and one Elizabeth Kabiru (f) 42 years suspected to be facilitators of the cult activities.
Other suspected criminal cases paraded included; armed robbery/kidnapping; foiled kidnapping; criminal conspiracy, unlawful possession of firearms; child trafficking and arrest of the suspect and recovery of 79 rounds of live ammunition and crimes respectively.