Crime Review: Kidnap Rescue, Cult Killing, Police Extortion, Lecturer’s Death Rock Week

A kidnapped woman was pulled from captivity. Suspected cultists were arrested over an alleged deadly rivalry. Two serving policemen and a dismissed officer were detained after 15 drivers’ licences were reportedly recovered from them.

Then came the shocking death of a university lecturer inside a hotel room, followed by the controversial pre-dawn arrest of a 90-year-old man in Edo State.

Across Delta, Edo and Abuja, the week presented a troubling mix of kidnapping, cult violence, alleged police misconduct, a mysterious death and a contentious arrest.

And behind the arrests, recoveries and investigations was one recurring factor, timely information.

As the old African proverb says, “When a finger points at the moon, the fool looks at the finger.” In several of the cases, what first appeared to be an isolated incident opened the door to deeper investigations.

In Delta State, police operatives rescued a 25-year-old woman allegedly held hostage at Usiefrun Community on October 3 and arrested 29-year-old Brotugbare Francis Onome.

The operation followed credible intelligence from the Ovwian-Aladja Division and was carried out by operatives of the Otu-Jeremi Division.

Police said the woman had allegedly been assaulted and held hostage, while a search of the premises led to the recovery of a fabricated Beretta pistol, one magazine and two rounds of live ammunition.

Interestingly, the Delta operation did not end there. Operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit also arrested two suspected cultists, 23-year-old Ezekiel Sunday Izomor and 23-year-old Emmanuel Ogaganefe, at a suspected criminal hideout in Oghara.

The state police Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, disclosed that the arrests followed intelligence obtained from a viral video allegedly showing suspected cultists celebrating the killing of a 25-year-old man identified as Godfrey at Jesse Main Market, Ethiope West Local Government Area, on March 24, 2026.

A battle axe, four cutlasses and a hammer were reportedly recovered.

Police preliminary investigation linked a suspect still at large, identified as Collins, to an attempt to take over leadership of the Aro Bagger confraternity and an alleged plot to eliminate a rival cult member.

Another suspect, Richman, described as a close friend of the deceased, was reported to be at large.

In Abraka, two more suspects, Edwin Friday Morgan, 43, and Endurance Akpade, 37 were arrested over an alleged plot to kidnap a woman.

The Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Samuel Erale, commended the operatives for their swift response and intelligence sharing, while urging residents to continue providing credible information.

Recent records indicate that Edo State security architecture has rendered such cult-related violence history because “the best way to fight crime is not merely to react to it, but to prevent it before it happens.”

But while Delta police were hunting criminals, an incident in Abuja raised questions about the conduct of those wearing the police uniform.

It began with complaints from motorists over alleged extortion around Transcorp Junction, Maitama, on Tuesday, October 6.

The complaint reportedly came in at about 2:50pm, as police officers were swiftly dispatched to investigate.

Three men were arrested, two serving police officers and a former policeman who had already been dismissed from the Force.

Investigators reportedly recovered 15 drivers’ licences allegedly belonging to different members of the public.

Preliminary information suggested that some motorists had their licences seized and were allegedly asked to pay before getting them back.

The alleged payments reportedly ranged from ₦50,000 to ₦183,000.
The investigation is expected to establish how the licences came into the suspects’ possession and identify the motorists involved.

The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Iniedu, could not be reached for comment as of press time.

The development comes at a time when the police leadership continues to emphasise professionalism and public trust.

That message was also echoed in Edo State by Assistant Inspector-General of Police, AIG Monday Agbonika, who visited the Edo State Police Command in Benin City on Wednesday, October 7.

Agbonika, the immediate past Commissioner of Police in Edo State, charged officers to uphold professionalism, discipline and operational effectiveness.

He also reminded personnel of their constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property.

His message was particularly significant coming amid renewed public scrutiny of police conduct and accountability.

Meanwhile, Edo detectives were dealing with another case that left unanswered questions, the tragic death of Dr Matthew Uwuigbe, a lecturer in the Department of Medical Laboratory Science at Ambrose Alli University, (AAU), inside a hotel room at Ekpoma, on Monday, October 5.

The circumstances surrounding his death prompted the arrest and detention of the hotel owner, manager and a 21-year-old sex worker.

According to ASP Eno Ikoedem, spokesperson for the Edo State Police Command, the woman had reportedly been sent out to buy water and allegedly returned to find the lecturer lying lifeless inside the room.

His remains were deposited at a mortuary as investigators began efforts to establish exactly what happened.

The university’s Public Relations Officer, Otunba Mike Ade Aladenika, confirmed that Uwuigbe was a staff member but stressed that the incident occurred outside the university campus.

“We are not denying that he is our staff, but whatever he did and what happened, it is his private life,” he said.

While the lecturer’s death remains under investigation, another Edo case triggered public condemnation over the manner of an arrest.

Pa Joseph Iduoriyekemwen, a 90-year-old father of the African Democratic Congress senatorial candidate for Edo South, Hon. Mathew Iduoriyekemwen, was arrested from his Amagba residence at about 4 A.M

He was allegedly wanted over allegations including conspiracy, forcible entry, gun-running, cultism and promotion of communal crises.

The Edo State Government later clarified that he had been arrested by the police following a petition from some members of Amagba Community and had not been abducted by unknown gunmen as initially reported.

Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, welcomed his release but criticised the manner of the arrest.

“Arresting a 90-year-old and fragile man at 4am in such a manner is a no-no for the state government,” Afegbua said.

The police, however, explained that the command had first received a petition against the nonagenarian on August 25, after which he was invited, made a statement and released.

ASP Ikoedem said detectives later arrested him in connection with the same matter before releasing him again after interrogation.

Two other suspects have reportedly been arrested, while investigation continues.

The cases across the week offer a common lesson, crime fighting depends heavily on intelligence, but the legitimacy of the fight depends equally on professionalism and respect for due process.