Bayelsa police battle cultists

… arrest suspected killer of corps member

The police in Bayelsa State have renewed their battle against rampaging cult groups and their criminal activities in the state.

It was gathered that having identified cultism as the major cause of other crimes in the state especially, Yenagoa, the state capital, the new Commissioner of Police, Mr. Austin Iwar, mapped out strategies to tackle the menace.

Already, the command at the weekend arrested a suspect cult leader said to be notorious for armed robbery and allegedly linked to the killing of a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) at Obele, Yenagoa, in 2016.

The 19-year-old suspect identified as Prince Owei aka Big Fela is an indigene of Ikibiri Community, but resides at Ovom in Yenagoa.

It was gathered that the suspect was the second in command of a notorious cult group, the Icelanders.

The slain corps member, James Onuh, a graduate of the Federal University of Agriculture, Markurdi, Benue State, was shot dead at an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) in Obele.

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The suspect was said to have been imprisoned twice  at the Okaka Prison in Yenagoa and the Ahoada Maximum Prison for cultism-related offences.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Asinim Butswat, said the suspect was arrested at the Sports Complex, Yenagoa, on his way to watch a football match.

He said a locally-made revolver pistol, live cartridge and packets of Rohypnol tablets were recovered from him.

He said: “On 20th September, 2018, at about 1610 hours, operatives arrested a notorious cult leader and an robber who was on the wanted list of Bayelsa State Police Command.”

“The suspect one Prince Owei ‘m’ aka Big Fela 19 years, from Ikibiri Community, but resident at St. Peters, Ovom, was arrested at the Sports Complex, Yenagoa, on his way to watch a football match and a locally made Revolver Pistol,one live cartridge and packets of Rohypnol tablets were recovered from him.

“The suspect, a jailbird and a confessed member of Icelanders cult group will be charged to court when investigations are concluded.

“The Command is determine to   ensure the safety of lives and properties and is appealing to members of the public to provide useful information that will assist the Police in fighting crime in the state.”

Earlier, Butswat in a statement said the command set up a tactical team with a mandate to deal with cultists.

He said: “Following reported cases of cultism and armed robbery in Yenagoa metropolis and its attendant consequences on public safety, the Commissioner of Police Bayelsa State Command has charged Tactical Teams to confront cultism and armed robbery in Yenagoa.

“Seven specialized units headed by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Department of Operations, will carry out sporadic and targeted operations in flash points areas within Yenagoa metropolis.

“Operatives have been dispatched to hot spots on intelligence gathering and surveillance on such miscreants. Cultists are hereby warned to renounce their membership as the command is poised to deal with any act of criminality decisively.

“The command commends all non-state actors such as the vigilantes and other spirited individuals for their cooperation and participation in policing in Bayelsa.

“The Command hereby appeals to members of the public to volunteer useful information about activities of suspected cultists and to utilize our distress telephone numbers”.