BENIN CITY- Determine to stop the menacing cult-related killings ravaging parts of Benin City, the Edo State Police Command has commenced a manhunt for an elder brother of one of the victims killed during a raid on a private residence in Benin City, last week.
Police had confirmed shooting to death a suspected cultists one Mayowa Aina, while his elder brother identified as Segun Samuel Aina, narrowly escaped in a dusk operation at Evboligun Community, Upper Saint Saviour, a suburb of the state capital.
The operation followed credible intelligence gathered by operatives of the state police command which were given a marching order by the state commissioner of police to crush those behind the dastardly act.
Similar raids were also carried out in other locations identified as criminal hideouts across Benin metropolis and its neighbourhood.
The Public Relations Officer for Edo State Police Command SP Chidi Nwabuzor stated this while giving update on police efforts at stopping the incessant cult-related killings ravaging parts of the City and bring the perpetrators to face justice.
“It might interest you to know that we have made several arrests since the current cult crisis hit the City following the unfortunate events of ENDSARS protests, last month.
“Confessions have been made, arms and ammunition recovered just as some victims taken to hospitals. Actionable information at our disposal indicates that one Segun Samuel Aina must face the full wrath of the law.
“The good news also is that some of the suspects in our custody are assisting investigators and we are making appreciable breakthrough.
“Intelligence reveals that some of them have fled to other states to evade the law. They may run but they cannot escape the long arms of the law”. SP Chidi stated.
The police spokesman further revealed that the suspect was last seen in Evboligun Community, Upper Saint Saviour, Benin City where he resided as a piggery farmer.
He was said to have abandoned his farm for some of his workers two of whom are now being quizzed by police.
Some residents of Evboligun Community, Upper Saint Saviour through Upper Sokponba axis in Ikpoba-Okha local government area of Edo State became visibly apprehensive when our reporters drove into the locality on Wednesday, November 18, 2020.
They were seen in clusters discussing in hutch tones as the women quietly dispersed to their separate buildings from where they called in their children.
“Have you return to shoot us again? Your sporadic shootings sent us away from our beds last week. You killed Mayowa, arrested some boys, you said they are killers and they must take police to capture Segun Samuel, Mayowa’s brother who escaped your bullets by sheer luck”. An angry male resident confronted our reporters who were mistaken for policemen.
When our reporters were eventually allowed to disclose their identities and mission, the angry man retorted, “Then, go and find out from the police”.
It would be recalled that no fewer than 13 persons including a serving police officer identified as Sgt. Oisa Monday Ehigie have reportedly been brutally murdered in cult clashes in Upper Sokponba road, Ogbelaka Street, Ugbowo, Evbomore, New Benin and Ogida areas of the state capital.
