Chief Arrested For Sponsoring Notorious Cult Gang In Sapele Speaks From Prison, Says He’s Innocent

By Dafe Rukevwe

A popular chief in Sapele, Chief Joseph Ologbo, an alleged financier of the “Aro Bagger” cult, has said that he is innocent.

The police in a month-old statement said he was arrested by the joint operational team at a hotel at about 8 pm on Monday, January 23, adding that ammunition was recovered from his vehicle including the regalia of the “Aro Bagger” cult.

The arrest followed a directive issued by the Delta Police Command to clamp down on the suspects following a series of cult-related killings during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

According to the said statement by the police spokesperson, DSP Bright Edafe, the 37-year-old Ologbo was apprehended in a hotel and weapons and cult uniforms were recovered from his vehicle.

DSP Edafe said; “Sequel to the cult clashes in Sapele, Oghara, and some other parts of the State, acting on credible intelligence on an alleged sponsor of Aro Bagger Cult group and also an active member of the group, a combined team of the Command Special Anti-Cult Unit (SACU), operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) and men of Operation Delta Hawk, stormed a Hotel, trailed and arrested one Chief Joseph Ologbo’ m’ 37yrs of Otor Community in Sapele LGA, a renowned suspected financer and member of Aro Bagger cult group.

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“When the search was extended to his fully tinted Toyota Tundra Van, one unlicensed pump action gun, two live cartridges, one expended cartridge, and an Aro Bagger cult regalia were recovered.”

But in a post on Wednesday night by a popular Facebook page, Renewed Sapele Times, Chief Ologbo said that he is innocent.

The poster who claimed that Ologbo chatted the page, added that the suspect revealed that the gun in his possession was not given to him by his friend Ufuoma (who is still on the run) as widely reported.

Continuing, Sapele Times post said Ologbo said he bought the gun himself and it is licensed, saying that it was for his personal security.

“Chief Jossy Ologbo don present the papers wey he say he use take license he firearm, and he say even Inspector General of Police stamp am. He also say him na Vigilante Patron and he buy Vigilante Uniforms for the VGN recently,” the post read.

Meanwhile, Ologbo while responding to a question on what led to his arrest, said that a group of high profile politicians in Sapele are secretly fighting him.

Chief Ologbo is currently awaiting trial and has since been remanded in Sapele Prison.