From Tony Osauzo, Benin
One person, identified as Festus, was killed in a cult clash between the Eiye and Maphite confraternities in Evboyare Community, Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo State.
The coordinator of the Edo State Government’s Special Security Squad, Idemudia Noah, disclosed this on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo, Fred Itua.
Noah described the scene of the clash as bloody and disclosed that the residence of the alleged Maphite leader, Felix Aigbedion, was sealed after intelligence linked him to the crisis. He added that Aigbedion has been declared wanted, believed to have masterminded the assault during a community dispute that spiralled into cult violence.
Noah stated that by the time operatives of the Squad arrived in Evboyare, the community was deserted, with homes, vehicles, and personal property bearing marks of destruction. Two locally made firearms were recovered from a poultry house, identified as a makeshift armoury for cultists.
The operatives, acting on intelligence, also stormed an unoccupied building in Egbaen, Egor Local Government Area, in the early hours of Wednesday, August 20, 2025, uncovering a secluded shrine at the back of the premises, said to belong to one Marvellous Adetarami. Inside the house, officers found a white casket and fetish items believed to have been used for initiation rituals and other clandestine activities.
In swift response, the Edo State Government ordered the immediate sealing of the property to signify its resolve to dismantle the physical and spiritual infrastructure sustaining cultism across the state.
Speaking after the operation, Idemudia Noah reaffirmed the government’s uncompromising posture, saying, “The administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo is unwavering in its determination to purge Edo State of cult-related violence and criminal syndicates.
“We have sealed the property of Felix Aigbedion, who has been implicated in the fatal clash at Evboyare which claimed the life of one Festus, as well as the Egbaen residence of Marvellous Adetarami, where a shrine was uncovered.
“These measures are not symbolic. They are a clear statement that clandestine activities will no longer find sanctuary in Edo State.”
He disclosed that investigations also unearthed disturbing evidence of extortion during initiation processes, including the forced transfer of money from victims to cultists, adding that the police had been fully briefed and are pursuing prosecutions.
Noah warned cultists to renounce their membership of the groups or leave Edo State, stressing that the government is committed to securing Edo for its people and ensuring peace, stability, and a safe environment for commerce and community life.