Warri: Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have arrested a suspected member of the notorious Eiye Confraternity for allegedly shooting a former cult member who reportedly renounced his membership in Jesse Community, Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State.
The suspect, identified as Oghenebuba Mamatime, was apprehended following a coordinated operation involving officers of the Delta State Police Command and vigilant youths from the Jesse community.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, SP Bright Edafe, the suspect had been on the police watch list over his alleged involvement in cult-related activities before his eventual arrest.
Edafe disclosed that the arrest followed a formal complaint lodged by the victim, who alleged that he was attacked and shot after deciding to abandon cult activities.
According to the police, the shooting occurred on July 2, 2026, along Ujomi Road in Jesse, where the victim was allegedly confronted by the suspect.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspect became enraged after learning that the victim had severed ties with the Eiye Confraternity.
Police said the confrontation escalated into an argument, during which the suspect allegedly opened fire on the victim in what investigators believe was an attempt to force him back into the cult group.
During the operation that led to Mamatime’s arrest on July 21, 2026, police recovered a cache of locally fabricated firearms allegedly in his possession.
The recovered items include:
- Three locally made pistols.
- One locally made single-barrel gun.
The weapons have since been taken into police custody as exhibits while forensic and criminal investigations continue.
SP Edafe confirmed that the suspect remains in police custody and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
He said detectives are also working to identify and apprehend other suspected members of the cult network who may have been involved in the attack or related criminal activities.
The police spokesperson reiterated the Delta State Police Command’s commitment to combating cultism, violent crimes, and the proliferation of illegal firearms across the state.
Edafe urged young people across Delta State to distance themselves from cult-related activities, warning that membership of criminal gangs often leads to violence, loss of lives, and lengthy prison sentences.
He encouraged residents to continue supporting law enforcement agencies with timely and credible information capable of preventing cult clashes and other violent crimes.
Cult-related violence continues to pose serious security concerns in several communities across Delta State, particularly in urban and semi-urban areas where rival confraternities frequently engage in deadly clashes over territorial control and supremacy.
Security agencies have intensified intelligence-led operations aimed at dismantling cult groups, recovering illegal weapons, and prosecuting suspected members as part of broader efforts to restore peace and public safety.
Authorities have also appealed to community leaders, parents, schools, and religious organizations to work together in discouraging youth involvement in cultism through awareness campaigns, mentorship, and community engagement.
The latest arrest is seen as another significant breakthrough in the Delta State Police Command’s ongoing campaign against cult-related crimes and organized criminal activities in the state.
