by Godson A.
The Edo State Police Command has arrested 27 suspected members of the Neo Black Axe Movement, also known as Black Axe, during a late-night operation in Urohi Village, Esan West Local Government Area of the state.
The arrest followed credible intelligence that the suspected cult group had gathered in the community, about 18 kilometres from Ekpoma, for an initiation exercise. Acting on the information, operatives of the command carried out a coordinated raid on Saturday night, December 13, 2025, at about 10:00pm.
ABNews gathered that the Divisional Police Officer of Ekpoma Division, SP Nelson Igbinoba, led a joint team of police tactical operatives, local vigilantes and hunters to the location. During the operation, one of the suspects allegedly opened fire on the police, leading to a gun duel in which the suspect was neutralised.
Twenty-seven suspects were arrested at the scene, while several items believed to be linked to cult activities were recovered. The exhibits include a locally made shotgun, one live cartridge, a battle axe, a knife, two Toyota Camry cars with registration numbers AUC 377 LU and RBC 867 JJ, and a Lexus RX Jeep without a registration number.
Also recovered were 51 mobile phones of different brands, 15 pairs of Timberland boots of various colours, and several sling bags containing substances suspected to be Indian hemp.
The Commissioner of Police in Edo State, CP Monday Agbonika, fdc, has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation and prosecution.
He commended the operatives for their swift response and professionalism, while reassuring residents of the command’s commitment to tackling cultism and other criminal activities across the state. The police boss also urged members of the public to continue to support security agencies with timely and credible information.
