Bayelsa police report 23 arrests, recover firearms in anti-cult operations

The Bayelsa State Police Command says it has arrested 23 suspects in operations against cult-related violence, attempted murder and illegal firearms possession in Yenagoa and surrounding communities.

Commissioner of Police Ajao Saka Adewale gave the figure at a press briefing in Yenagoa on Saturday. He said the operations ran from September 23 to October 8 and followed attacks and reprisals that left four people dead and others with life-threatening injuries.

The affected communities include Igbogene, Onopa, Ovom, Agudama, Amarata, Swali and Akenfa. The arrests and weapons recoveries were carried out by the Anti-Cultism Unit, Violent Crime Response Unit and other tactical teams, according to the police.

The briefing follows an earlier police account of 20 arrests during the crackdown. NaijaTrend reported that account here. The earlier reports described people feared killed; the figure of four in Saturday’s briefing is Adewale’s account.

Among the cases detailed at the briefing, Adewale said two suspects were arrested during operations between September 23 and October 5. Police said they recovered a locally fabricated Beretta pistol from one and a pump-action gun and other weapons from the other. One of the suspects was on remand awaiting trial.

He said the Violent Crime Response Unit arrested five suspects on October 5 over attacks and reprisals, recovering a Beretta pistol, axes, cutlasses and knives. A separate operation on October 6 recovered a locally made revolver and three rounds of live 9mm ammunition after a suspect fled through a swamp; police said efforts to find him were continuing.

Eight more suspects were arrested on October 7 and 8 in Akenfa, Igbogene and Swali. Adewale said Baratua-Pre Bara, 30, was among those arrested and was expected to be arraigned on Monday, October 12. The police attributed alleged cult affiliations to the suspects; those allegations are not court findings.

Other items police reported recovering included two cans of nitrous oxide, 17 bottles of a substance identified as codeine and a bag of dried leaves suspected to be cannabis.

Adewale urged residents to remain calm, report suspicious activity and provide credible information to the police. He said patrols and intelligence-led operations would continue.

Sources: Punch, Vanguard