Police in Kogi State have arrested eight suspected cult members in Itobe and three men allegedly involved in ATM card-swapping fraud in Idah, recovering weapons, motorcycles and 59 bank cards during separate operations.
The state Commissioner of Police announced the arrests at a press briefing on Wednesday, saying the Itobe operation followed intelligence about planned clashes between rival groups.
Eight arrested over alleged cult gathering in Itobe
Officers from the Itobe Division, working with local auxiliary forces and community leaders, raided a location behind Government Secondary School, Itobe, in Ofu Local Government Area at about 5:45 p.m. on October 17.
Police identified seven of those arrested as Mutari Ahmed, 26; Mohammed Tairu, 21; Audu Moses Yahaya, 27; Peter Vincent, 28; Progress Aminu, 21; Wisdom Friday, 21; and Gabriel Enema, 22. A 14-year-old boy was also arrested.
Officers recovered two TVS motorcycles, an axe and a cutlass.
According to the command, preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects had assembled to appoint a leader for a local cult group. Police alleged that some acknowledged membership of the Aro-Baga Vikings and Aiye confraternities and provided information about other people linked to their activities.
Police strengthen security in Itobe and Ejule
The commissioner said intelligence had pointed to planned violent confrontations in Itobe and Ejule, driven by longstanding rivalries, territorial disputes and retaliatory attacks.
He said security measures had been strengthened following threats of reprisals against personnel and security facilities.
The operation comes amid wider concerns about violence in the area. The Bureau Journal previously reported Admiral Usman Jibrin’s condemnation of political violence in Ejule and a separate security operation that rescued kidnapped victims in Itobe.
The cult-related case has been transferred to the Violent Crime Response Unit to trace fleeing suspects, identify accomplices and investigate the groups’ activities.
“The Nigeria Police Force has no friendly, supportive or compromising relationship with cultists, secret confraternities or any criminal elements,” the commissioner said.
Residents of Itobe, Ejule and neighbouring communities, alongside commuters on the Itobe–Anyigba Road, were urged to remain vigilant, continue lawful activities without panic and report suspicious movements or threats.
Three suspects arrested in Idah ATM fraud investigation
In the separate Idah operation, police arrested Philip Akiola, 50; Ojo Thomas, 56; and Abdulrauf Suleiman, 48, at about 9:30 a.m. on October 20.
The arrests followed surveillance launched after a complaint on May 19 from a man who said his ATM card had been swapped and ₦1.5 million withdrawn from his account.
Police recovered 59 ATM cards belonging to different banks and a vehicle allegedly used by the suspects.
Investigators alleged that the group worked together to observe customers entering their PINs, distract them and substitute their bank cards. The captured cards and PINs were then allegedly used to access victims’ accounts.
The command said the suspects had allegedly operated for more than a year, mainly targeting ATM users at First Bank, Union Bank and UBA branches.
According to police, the suspects identified a man known as “Sunday,” said to be abroad, as the person who introduced them to the scheme.
The case is being transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Lokoja for further investigation.
Police advise ATM users to protect their cards
The command advised customers to shield their PINs, decline unsolicited assistance and check that the card returned after a transaction is their own.
Anyone who suspects a card swap should immediately contact their bank to block the card and report the incident to the police.
The command said investigations into both cases were continuing. The allegations against those arrested have yet to be determined by a court.
Get breaking news and latest updates directly on WhatsApp
