9th January, 2015
Jethro Ibileke/Benin
Edo State Police Commissioner, Foluso Adebanjo, has threatened to henceforth arrest and prosecute leaders of the various secret cult groups in the state over their involvement in various cult rivalry-related killings which has claimed many lives in the past few weeks.
Adebanjo who gave this hint in Benin on Friday while parading 81 suspects arrested in different parts of the state before and during the yuletide season, expressed worries over the activities of cultists in the state.
He said the state police command may have to arrest the leaders of each of the cult groups in the state and charge them for accessary and murder.
“We have arrested over fourty suspected cultists. The worrisome thing is the issue of reprisal killings and the command is not going to take it lightly. They are going to be charged for attempted murder and various crimes related to murder.
“All the heads of these cult groups will be arrested and charged to court for accessary. This senseless killings must stop.
“We are aware that about five persons have been killed but that is senseless. All of us must join hands and stamp out these murderous cultists. We are not going to allow them, if they are running crazy we will arrest them and charge them for accessary.
“This stupid act must stop. We are going to go hard on cultism in Edo state and I want to advise parents to talk to their children because any one arrested will go in for it. These ones who were arrested will be charged for murder at the court,” he said.
Among the 81 persons paraded were 40 suspected cultists allegedly involved in the recent killings in the state which left scores dead across the state.
Others were suspected armed robbers, rapists and murderers, including 41 year-old Festus Aimufua who allegedly murdered his Austrian-based lady friend, Rose Aifuwa on Christmas day.
The 41 year-old father of three from another woman who expressed confusion over what actually led to the death of Ms Aifuwa, denied killing her intentionally, but by accident under the influence of alcohol.
“As I was about leaving, I saw her in front of my vehicle but two other boys were dragging her off the vehicle. So, I was looking for a way to move. I thought I found a way; that was how I zoomed off.
“How could I have killed this woman? I love her. People have been trying all possible means to stop me from going out with her, but I still go there. How could I? I have never killed before. I did not know that she died,” he said.
“I loved her and there was no way I would have planned to kill her. The truth is that we were not fighting and I am not owing her a dime. We were quarrelling because she wanted me to stay with her but I needed to go home,” he said.
Also paraded was 90 year-old Osunde Andrew, who was accused of defiling an 11 year-old girl at 2nd East Circular road, Benin.
Items recovered from the suspects included 19 vehicles, 15 locally made guns, one AK47 rifle, 38 toy pistols and seven live ammunition.
Adebanjo who urged members of the public not to relent in giving useful information to the police, assured that the command would continue to improve on its operations to make the state crime free.