The Edo State Police Command has paraded the three suspected cultists who allegedly dehumanised a female TikToker identified simply as Olivia.
Olivia was said to have created a video where she was miming to an Aiye cult audio.
After the video went viral, young men said to be cultists tracked her down and took her to an uncompleted building where they beat her up, stripped her naked, beat her some more, and poured water on her, all the while filming it and later released her naked video online.
The suspects Omozejele John, Smart Ogbeide, Tajudeen Afesume were paraded at the police headquarters in Benin City on Friday, October 1.
Spokesperson of the command, Bello Kontongs, in a statement, said the suspects have all confessed to the crime and also admitted to being members of Aye secret cult.
“Following the viral video clip where some young men were seen assaulting and dehumanizing a young lady, the Commissioner of Police CP Philip Aliyu Ogbadu Psc(+) directed a discreet investigation and intelligence base approach to unravel those behind the dastardly act,” he stated.
“During the cause of information and intelligence gathering, the following suspects were arrested at different locations in Benin city.
“They are Omozejele John ‘M’ (29years) arrested on 26/09/2021 at about 2000hrs at Uteh Community area of Upper Mission Extension Benin City, Smart Ogbeide ‘M’ (29years) was arrested on the 27/09/2021 at about 2130hrs along with Paulingo Brothel Uteh Community Upper Mission Extension Benin City while Tajudeen Afesume ‘M’ (30years) arrested in his hideout at Owina Quarters Uteh Community Upper Mission Extension Benin city
“They are presently cooperating with police investigations and are already providing useful information that will lead to the arrest of other cult members on the run
“The Commissioner of Police has directed the suspects be charged to court, vowing that cult groups and other criminal elements will not be allowed to operate in the state,” the PPRO added.
