Police arrest 48 cultists, rescue 2 kidnapped persons

The Police in Delta State have arrested 48 suspected members of the Neo Black Movement (NBM) a.k.a. Black Axe Confraternity.

The suspected cultists, 36 males and 12 females, were said to be holding their annual initiation and anniversary ceremonies at a location in Warri, when the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) swooped on them.

According the Delta State Police Command spokesperson Superintendent of Police Celestina Kalu, the Police, to on receiving the tip, “deployed surveillance men to the identified location at Freshville hotel Okuokoko and arrested 36 male and 12 female suspects.”

In another development, the police, with the assistance of local vigilante, rescued a kidnapped victim unhurt on Sunday.

The kidnappers numbering about four men invaded the house of one Joseph Otemewo of Ogini Road, Oghara, kidnapped his wife and took her away in her Lexus Jeep Reg. No. GRA911KH.

The hoodlums had called for ransom but a combined team of police detectives and vigilante group went on their trail and engaged them in an exchange of fire in their Ologbo bush hideout.

One of the abductors, God’stime (surname not given) was shot and arrested while two others escaped. However, the suspect died on the way to the hospital.

Police said investigation had been intensified to track down the fleeing hoodlums who were said to have driven the stolen vehicle towards Benin in Edo State. The Niger State House of Assembly has asked the state government to refund deductionsý made from workers’ salaries with immediate effect.

This came as the ongoing indefinite strike declared by the Niger State councils of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) to protest salary cut entered its second day.

The House passed the resolution yesterday following a motion moved by Hon. Bello Ahmad (PDP, Agwarra) and seconded by Hon. Salihu Edati (APC, Edati).

Ahmad said that the legislative arm was not consultedý before the deductions, the governor’s unconstitutional.

“As far as this issue of slashing workers’ salaries is concerned, none of us was consulted and we are primary stakeholders in matters that affect the people.

“If you look at the constitution and the labour act, you will see that there’s no provision that empowers the state governmentý to slash salaries, no matter the state of the economy.

“ýIt is a different thing if there was an agreement and mutual understanding between the primary stakeholders before such deductions, but there was none and that is our worry,” he said. adding action that was