News
Edo Police Arrest 12 Suspected Cultists in Swift Operation
Edo Police Command and ESSC arrest 12 suspected cultists planning attacks in Etsako West, with confessions and a vehicle recovered
Operatives of the Edo State Police Command in collaboration with the Edo State Security Corps (ESSC) have arrested 12 suspected cultists in a coordinated operation aimed at preventing a planned attack in Edo State.
Also read: Police Release Vigilantes Arrested by Army in Edo
Edo police arrest 12 suspected cultists operation was carried out on May 7, 2026, at Amazing Grace Estate in Elele community, Uzairue, Etsako West Local Government Area, following credible intelligence reports.
According to Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eno Ikoedem, the suspects were intercepted after allegedly mobilising from Okpella in Etsako East Local Government Area to attack rival groups.
Preliminary investigations revealed that several of the suspects confessed to belonging to rival confraternities, including Aye and Vikings groups.
A grey Mercedes-Benz Jeep was also recovered during the operation and is believed to be linked to an individual currently at large.
Edo police arrest 12 suspected cultists operation has since been transferred to the Anti-Cultism Unit for further investigation and possible prosecution.
Also read: Edo Security Corps Arrest Father, Son Over Kidnapping
Commissioner of Police Monday Agbonika praised the operatives for their swift response and warned criminal elements to either desist or leave the state, reaffirming the command’s commitment to sustained crackdowns on cultism and violent crime.
David Umahi predicts a South-East voting shift in 2027, citing Tinubu’s infrastructure projects and appointments across the region
Minister of Works David Umahi has predicted that voters in the South-East will support President Bola Tinubu differently in the 2027 presidential election, arguing that federal infrastructure projects and political appointments have changed the region’s relationship with the administration.
Also read: FG to immortalise Nigerian soldiers killed in Liberia, Sierra Leone
Umahi made the prediction in an interview with ARISE News published on Friday, describing the region’s overwhelming support for Labour Party candidate Peter Obi in the 2023 election as an “accident of history”.
He attributed the voting pattern to anger over what he described as the region’s marginalisation under the previous administration.
“In 2023, it was an accident of history. It was a demonstration of the anger of the people of South East on how they were treated,” he said.
The former Ebonyi State governor added that he believed the situation had changed under Tinubu.
“We’ve been marginalised in the past, but it’s no longer so,” Umahi said.
“If in 2023 they demonstrated their anger, in 2027 they are going to demonstrate their joy on how the President has treated them,” he added.
The minister said federal road projects and other investments in the South-East were reasons voters might reconsider their political choices in 2027.
He also claimed that serving and former governors, traditional rulers and other influential figures in the region were increasingly aligning with Tinubu.
Umahi argued that voters would be reluctant to abandon what he described as infrastructure gains for another political “gamble”.
However, his prediction reflects his own assessment of the region’s political mood.
The interview did not establish how voters currently intend to vote in 2027.
Umahi rejected suggestions that South-East political leaders supporting Tinubu were betraying the region or Obi, arguing that the region’s political interests should not be permanently tied to one candidate.
He also criticised social media supporters who insult regional leaders for backing the President, saying such attacks would not advance Obi’s political interests or those of the South-East.
The minister maintained that the region needed to negotiate and build alliances with other parts of Nigeria if it hoped to produce a president in the future.
Asked whether he believed Tinubu would defeat Obi in the South-East in 2027, Umahi responded confidently: “Why do you say I believe? That is what is going to happen!”
Also read: FG to immortalise Nigerian soldiers killed in Liberia, Sierra Leone
His comments come as political alignments and debates over regional representation begin to shape discussions ahead of the 2027 general election.
Dele Momodu replies Seyi Makinde, saying Nigeria needs a president with vision, experience and tolerance ahead of the 2027 election
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