Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have foiled a suspected initiation ceremony of the Black Axe (Aye) Confraternity in Orogun Community, Ughelli North Local Government Area, recovering firearms, ammunition, seven vehicles and other items after the suspects fled during a gun battle.
The intelligence-led operation, carried out by the Command’s Quick Response Squad (QRS) in the early hours of Sunday, July 19, dealt another blow to cult-related activities in Delta State
Confirming the operation, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, said officers acted on credible intelligence indicating that members of the notorious Black Axe cult had gathered in a forest within Orogun to conduct an initiation ceremony.
According to him, the operatives swiftly mobilised and stormed the location.
However, on sighting the police team, the suspected cultists allegedly opened fire in a desperate attempt to evade arrest.
“The operatives responded with superior tactical firepower, forcing the suspects to abandon the area and flee into the adjoining forest along the Abbi–Abraka axis, Edafe said
Following the exchange of gunfire, security operatives searched the area and made significant recoveries believed to have been abandoned by the fleeing suspects.
Items recovered include:
- One pump-action gun
- One cut-to-size double-barrel gun
- Seven live cartridges
- Two expended cartridges
- Seven vehicles
- Six mobile phones
- Suspected Black Axe cult regalia
- Other personal belongings
All the recovered exhibits have been taken into police custody as investigations continue.
Although no arrests were made during the operation, the police said efforts are ongoing to track down and apprehend the fleeing suspects.
The command expressed confidence that those involved in the alleged cult activities would soon be brought to justice.
Reacting to the successful operation, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Yemi John Oyeniyi, praised the Quick Response Squad for its professionalism and swift response.
He reiterated the command’s commitment to intelligence-driven policing and sustained efforts to dismantle cult groups and other violent criminal networks operating across the state.
The Commissioner also appealed to residents to continue supporting law enforcement agencies by providing credible and timely information capable of preventing crime and enhancing public safety.
The latest operation underscores the Delta State Police Command’s renewed crackdown on cultism, a menace that has remained a major security concern in several communities across the state.
