Bayelsa: Dismay as Prominent Pastor Allegedly Hires Assassins to Kill Prophet
- Operatives of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit of the Bayelsa police command have arrested one Pastor Elijah Oro over a plot to kill a rival pastor in the state
- Pastor Oro allegedly hired one Samuel Daniel, a 21-year-old member of a notorious cult group, to execute his rival over a reported issue of a membership drive and property
- Key urban areas in Bayelsa are hotspots for crime, with reported offences showing a general upward trend in previous years
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Yenagoa, Bayelsa State - Operatives of the Police Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit in Bayelsa State have arrested Pastor Elijah Oro for allegedly hiring a member of the Greenlanders Confraternity cult, Samuel Daniel, to kill a Bayelsa-based prophet.
As reported on Friday, January 30, by Daily Trust, the suspected cult kingpin was arrested at the prophet’s residence while attempting to break into the house to get access to the clergy.
Source: Facebook
Guardian also noted the concerning development.
Pastor arrested over prophet's attempted murder
Musa Muhammad, the police spokesperson in Bayelsa State, who confirmed the incident in a statement on Friday, January 30, said the suspect has confessed to being a member of the Greenlanders Confraternity and was allegedly hired by the pastor to kill the prophet.
He stated that the police operatives acted on credible intelligence to arrest the suspects.
He said:
“On 28th January, 2026, at about 1035 hours, operatives attached to the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit, acting on credible intelligence, swung into action and arrested two suspects namely; Samuel Daniel ‘m’ 21 years old, from Nembe Ogbolomabiri Community, Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State and Pastor Elijah Oro ‘m’, 59 years old, from Ozoro Community, Delta State both involved with an alleged plot to kill prophet name withheld.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that one of the suspects, Samuel Daniel ‘m’ 21 years old, was arrested in the premises of the prophet and has confessed to being a member of the Greenlanders Confraternity and was allegedly hired by Pastor Elijah Oro ‘m’ to assassinate the prophet (name withheld). Investigation is ongoing to unravel the motive behind the alleged plot."
Source: Facebook
Bayelsa grapples with rising crime
Legit.ng reports that Bayelsa State faces significant security challenges driven by oil-related economic issues, high poverty, and unemployment.
Common crimes include militant activities, oil theft, kidnapping, and armed robbery, with high incidences of theft concentrated in urban areas like Yenagoa. Crime events, particularly theft, have shown increasing trends in the region.
The prevalence of crime is largely attributed to environmental factors, including economic, social, and political issues within the Niger Delta region.
Studies have shown a rise in criminal activity in the state's urban centres.
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Bayelsa police arrest wanted cultist
Earlier, Legit.ng reported on the arrest of a suspected cult member and pipeline vandal, Temona Alison.
Alison was said to be on the police's wanted list in Bayelsa State.
A police source divulged that the suspect was arrested in possession of four grenades (miniature bombs), one live cartridge, a set of military uniform, one cutlass, among others.
Source: Legit.ng
