Police Nab 21 Students for School Cultism in Edo

The Edo State Police Command has executed a significant operation against juvenile violence, announcing the arrest of no fewer than 21 secondary school students on charges of alleged cultism, with three other suspects reportedly evading capture. The suspects, all pupils of Ogioma Public Secondary School, located on Limit Road off the Benin–Sapele Road in Benin City, are aged between 14 and 17 years old.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, disclosed details of the operation in a statement on Saturday, confirming that the apprehended students have already been arraigned in court for prosecution. Following the judicial process, eight of the suspects were remanded in prison custody, indicating the severity of the charges, while the remaining 13 were released into the care of their parents or guardians. These guardians have been explicitly instructed to ensure the students are produced in court on November 28, 2025, for the next sitting, underscoring the legal commitment required from the families.

Yamu explained that the arrests stemmed from a foiled attack planned against a rival institution, Osemwende Public Secondary School, located at Oghoghibi, also situated off Benin–Sapele Road. Acting on credible intelligence received on November 12, 2025, at approximately 1:45 pm, operatives attached to the Love world Division, led by the Divisional Police Officer, swiftly mobilised to Osemwende Public Secondary School. The police team successfully intercepted the students from Ogioma Public Secondary as they allegedly stormed the premises in a convoy of motorcycles, intending to carry out violent acts against the rival school.

Preliminary investigation quickly revealed the depth of the students’ alleged nefarious planning and the extent of the threat they posed. Yamu confirmed that the suspects had previously circulated a threat voice note across their communication channels, openly boasting of plans to “stage a war,” burn down the school, and harm both students and staff. This alarming threat, which they were attempting to carry out before being successfully contained by the rapid police intervention, underscores the extreme danger posed by the group’s activities. Following the interception, the principals of both Ogioma and Osemwende schools have been formally invited by the police for further questioning as part of the ongoing comprehensive inquiry into the root causes of the unrest. Items recovered from the arrested suspects included three knives, providing tangible and worrying evidence of their violent intent and preparation for the intended attack.

The Commissioner of Police in charge of the command, Monday Agbonika, issued a strong appeal following the arrests, using the incident as a critical warning. He urged parents and guardians to significantly increase their attention to the activities and associations of their children, emphasizing that their responsibility extends to monitoring them both within and outside the school environments. Furthermore, the Command called upon school authorities to immediately strengthen disciplinary measures, report any suspicious gatherings or threats promptly to law enforcement, and collaborate closely with the police to prevent juvenile delinquency and violence within school premises. This robust stance is clearly aligned with the Nigeria Police Force’s overarching Safe Schools Initiative, reaffirming the Command’s dedication to ensuring the safety and protection of all residents, especially the students, across the entire state of Edo.