The killing of a middle-aged man by suspected cultists at Jattu Junction in Auchi and the shocking discovery of a decomposing corpse in a suspected ritualists’ den in Uromi have triggered one of the most aggressive anti-crime crackdowns in recent times in Edo State.
Last week, security operatives intensified raids on suspected criminal hideouts across the state as the government renewed its onslaught against cultism, kidnapping, ritual killings and other violent crimes.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo, Dr. Patrick Akhere Ebojele, reaffirmed the administration’s resolve to rid Edo of criminal elements and their collaborators, stressing that the fight against insecurity remains total and non-negotiable.
The latest security push also followed a major breakthrough by the Edo State Police Command in the rescue of a woman abducted at the popular Vegetable Market along Airport Road, Benin City, on June 14, 2026.
Acting on Governor Okpebholo’s directive, operatives of the Intelligence Response Team dismantled the kidnapping gang repeatedly responsible for the abduction. The operation led to the arrest of Marvellous Isaac, 32, whose parade and startling confession at the state police headquarters has continued to attract widespread public attention.
Commissioner of Police, CP Monday Agbonika, disclosed that one member of the kidnapping gang was neutralised after allegedly attempting to resist arrest.
Interestingly, ASP Eno Ikoedem, spokesperson for the Edo State Police Command, on Tuesday confirmed the arrest of the remaining two members of the kidnapping gang who had been on the run.
The operation has continued to attract commendations from prominent individuals and organisations, including the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack.
Also last week, in an intelligence-driven operation, operatives of the Edo State Security Corps (ESSC) reportedly demolished buildings identified as ritualists’ dens in Uromi and declared two brothers wanted after a decomposing corpse, identified as that of a gateman, Mildah Dalandi, was recovered from one of the properties. NABBED authoritatively learnt that security operatives made the discovery following sustained intelligence gathering and complaints by residents over a stench that emanated from the premises.
However, it was the brazen daylight killing at Jattu Junction in Auchi that apparently triggered the ongoing wider security response. NABBED gathered that armed men struck near the busy Abiodun Motors Park axis before fleeing, leaving their victim dead and residents scampering for safety.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eno Ikoedem, said operatives swiftly arrested three suspects and temporarily sealed the motor park where the killing occurred while investigations were intensified. NABBED authoritatively learnt that security agencies subsequently reviewed intelligence on several suspected criminal hideouts across the zone, leading to the launch of a coordinated onslaught.
Sources further revealed that soon after, the state launched “Operation Flush Out Kidnappers and Cultists,” a coordinated security operation targeting criminal hideouts and cult networks across Edo North.
One of the operation’s most dramatic outcomes was the demolition of Abiodun Motor Park and the NURTW Park at Jattu Junction. It was alleged that the facilities had become hubs for illegal activities, including unauthorised revenue collection despite an existing government ban.
It was gathered that security operatives also stormed Triple J & J Hotel in Aviele, arresting 14 suspects believed to have held meetings there before the deadly attack. The hotel was subsequently sealed pending further investigations.
NABBED scooped that investigators are examining possible links between some of the suspects and other violent crimes recently recorded in the area.
Further reports disclosed that the raids extended to Igbira Camp, Warrake Road, Akpekpe and other locations identified by security operatives as criminal enclaves.
Investigators have since identified additional suspects linked to the killing. While some remain at large, operatives have issued ultimatums demanding their appearance for questioning or risk being declared wanted.
From the rescue of the kidnapped Vegetable Market woman in Benin City to the demolition of suspected ritualists’ dens in Uromi and the raids that followed the Jattu Junction killing in Auchi, last week marked a defining moment in Edo’s clampdown on violent crime.
While only time will tell if this momentum can be sustained, security agencies have sent a clear message, kidnappers, cultists and ritual killers are no longer welcome in Edo. Their choices are simple, flee, face the law, or abandon crime altogether.