Operatives of the Delta State Police command have foiled a cult initiation ceremony in Agbor and arrested two suspected cultists. 

Spokesperson of the command, DSP Bright Edafe, who disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, September 23, said a suspected member of a three-man robbery gang died after sustaining injuries during a shoot out with policemen on stop and search duty. 

According to Edafe, a team acting on intelligence stormed the venue of the initiation where two suspects were arrested while others escaped. 

Operation Delta Hawk team on 19/09/2021 at about 1030hrs at Agbor received credible and actionable information that cult activities to initiate new members into vikings cult confraternity was ongoing at Aliokpo power line off old Warri road Agbor,” he stated.

“The teams promptly swung into action and proceeded to the area and getting to the scene, two male suspects were arrested namely Blessing Rex ‘m’ aged 30yrs of no. 50 old Lagos/ Asaba road and Lucky Wisdom ‘m’ aged 18yrs of no.4 Ijeh street Agbor while others escaped. Exhibits recovered at the scene includes eleven (11) motorcycles and one vikings confraternity flag. Effort to arrest the fleeing members is ongoing,” 

On the robbery incident, the PPRO said three-man gang in a vehicle were flagged down at Umunede on the Benin Asaba-Onitsha expressway. On noticing the operatives, the occupants alighted, shot sporadically and fled into the bush. 

“On 22/9/2021 at about 1035hrs, men of the Delta State Police Command Rapid Response Squad while on stop and search duty along Benin /Asaba express road, Umunede, flagged down a lexus 350 jeep with reg. No. WWR 343 MD, white in colour with three occupants,” he explained.

The suspects on noticing the operatives stopped abruptly and disembarked from the vehicle, shot sporadically and ran into the bush. The operatives returned fire and went after them. During the gun duel, one of the hoodlums was fatally wounded while the remaining two escaped with bullets injuries

“Upon search, a locally made pistol loaded with a live cartridge and two expended cartridges were recovered from the injured suspect. The injured suspect was immediately rushed to the hospital where he gave up the ghost while receiving treatment

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The Lexus 350 was recovered. Intelligence later revealed that the vehicle was snatched from the owner at gun point around Warri on Saturday 18/9/2021. Manhunt for the fleeing members of the gang is ongoing.”

Similarly, on September 22, men of Operation Delta Hawk Patrol teams stationed at Agbor received a credible information that one Daniel Banjo, aged 24, of No. 3 Baptist Mission Street Agbor was sighted in possession of a gun.

They promptly swung into action and proceeded to the area where they arrested the said suspect. Upon search, one locally-made double barrel pistol with two live cartridges were recovered from him. Investigation is ongoing.