CITIZENS COMPASS— The Edo State Police Command on Saturday, said it has arrested 21 secondary school students for alleged cultism.
They were between ages 14 and 17 years.
Spokesperson for the Command, Moses Yamu, disclosed this in a statement saying three among the suspects had escaped.
Yamu said the suspects were from Ogioma Public Secondary School, located on Limit Road off Benin–Sapele Road, Benin City. He alleged that the students, suspected to be cultists, have been arraigned in court for prosecution.
He stated that eight of the suspects have been remanded in prison, while 13 were released to their parents or guardians, who are expected to produce them on November 28, 2025, for the next court sitting.
The command’s spokesperson explained that the arrests followed a foiled attack on Osemwende Public Secondary School, located at Oghoghibi, also off Benin–Sapele Road.
He added that the suspects were apprehended by operatives attached to the Loveworld Division, led by the Divisional Police Officer, on November 12, 2025, at approximately 1:45 pm.
Yamu further stated that the operatives, acting on credible intelligence, swiftly mobilised to Osemwende Public Secondary School, where the students suspected of engaging in cultism from Ogioma Public Secondary were intercepted as they allegedly stormed the premises in a convoy of motorcycles to carry out violent acts.
He added that the principals of the schools have been invited for further questioning.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects had earlier circulated a threat voice note, boasting of plans to ‘stage a war,’ burn down the school, and harm students and staff, a threat they attempted to carry out before being contained by police intervention,” he said.
Yamu noted that the Commissioner of Police in charge of the command, Monday Agbonika, urged parents and guardians to pay closer attention to the activities and associations of their children, both within and outside school environments.
“The Command also calls on school authorities to strengthen discipline, report suspicious gatherings or threats promptly, and collaborate closely with the police to prevent juvenile delinquency and violence in schools. The Command remains committed to ensuring the safety and protection of all residents, especially in schools across the state, in line with the Nigeria Police Force Safe Schools Initiative,” he added.
He concluded by stating that items recovered from the suspects included three knives
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—Daly Post
