The police command in Edo says 46 suspects have been arrested over various criminal activities in the state in the last one month.

Its spokesman, Chidi Nwabuzor, announced this on Friday while showcasing the achievements of the command within the period.

Of the number, Mr  Nwabuzor said 15 were suspected cult members arrested on Sept. 19 during a raid along Okabere road at Upper Sakponba in Benin City.

The spokesman said that the suspects had made statements and confessed to being members of Eiye secret cult confraternity.

Mr Nwabuzor also said that six suspects were arrested for murder and arson when a fight broke out at Igarra in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area.

Two suspected armed robbers and nine kidnappers, he said, were also arrested in the period under review.

According to him, six others suspected to be in unlawful possession of firearms have also been arrested, while three others were arrested for defilement and rape.

The command also nabbed one escapee of the correctional centre in the state and another four suspects for stealing and diversion of petroleum products from the NNPC Limited.

Within the month, he said that the tactical team of the command recovered one pump action, five locally-made cut-to-size guns, one locally made cut-to-size-pistol, one live cartridge and two dummy guns.

“The Commissioner of Police, Mr Mohammed Dankwara, has reiterated that the operation will continue as much as we are within the ’ember months.

“It is the period where you see criminal elements perpetrating their evils; it is a period people take property that does not belong to them.

“The tactical team that has been working to record these achievements will continue to do so,” he said. 

(NAN)