The Take It Back Movement, Edo State Chapter has intervened in a case involving the harassment and attempted detention of a young man by officers of the Anti-Cult Unit at the Edo State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), resulting in the man’s release.
The intervention was led by the Edo State Coordinator of the movement, Comrade Clinton Onobumhe, popularly known as Morguana, who recounted the incident in a report following the events of March 30, 2026.
According to Onobumhe, he arrived at the State CID at about 1:30 p.m. to follow up on an ongoing murder case involving Mr. Ayamwomwan, whose body has yet to be recovered. While at the station with members of the Ayamwomwan family, he encountered a man he recognized, who narrated that he had earlier been arrested by officers of the Edo State CID Anti-Cult Unit.
The man reportedly explained that at about 11:00 a.m. the same day, officers stopped the vehicle he was in for a routine stop-and-search operation while he was working as a cab driver. According to the account, the officers focused their questioning on a passenger whom they suspected to be an “abroad returnee.”
Onobumhe stated that the situation escalated after the passenger allegedly hissed while leaving, “After questioning him, the man was about to leave when he hissed. The officers immediately dragged him into their vehicle, removed a gold chain from his neck, seized his medicated glasses and phone, and drove him to the station while the others, including the cab driver, were allowed to go,” Onobumhe said.
He alleged that at the station the man was being threatened with detention as a suspected cultist unless he negotiated a bail payment running into hundreds of thousands of naira, “They were preparing to put him in the cell as an alleged cultist or force him to negotiate his bail release,” he added.
Onobumhe said he temporarily left the Ayamwomwan family with the Investigating Police Officer handling their case so he could address the situation, “I immediately engaged the Anti-Cult Unit officers, asking whether such conduct was now the directive of the Commissioner of Police or the Assistant Inspector-General. I also informed them that I intended to petition the entire unit, including the Officer-in-Charge,” he said.
According to him, the confrontation became tense as some officers allegedly threatened him and used derogatory remarks, “Some officers moved very close to me, threatening to beat me and using abusive language while speaking aggressively,” he said.
He explained that the Officer-in-Charge (OC) later invited him into his office and presented a different version of events, “The OC said he was personally interrogating the man when the man hissed before he finished speaking. He claimed the action made them suspect he could be a cultist, which was why he was handcuffed and taken to the station for further investigation,” Onobumhe recounted.
The OC reportedly suggested that the man write a statement and that Onobumhe could stand as surety for his bail, “They insisted the incident must be formally recorded, and I agreed,” he said.
When they proceeded to the office of the Investigating Police Officer, Onobumhe said an officer initially attempted to ask him to leave while the statement was being taken, but another senior officer permitted him to remain and observe.
He added that the victim could not write and the IPO asked him to assist in writing the statement, “The victim narrated what happened and I wrote it down while the IPO stepped out,” he said.
However, the situation reportedly changed when another senior officer—said to be related to the victim’s girlfriend—arrived at the Anti-Cult Unit, “After meeting with the head of the department, the entire process suddenly changed. The statement was abandoned and the victim was allowed to leave with his phone and gold chain,” Onobumhe stated.
He further alleged that officers had initially denied possession of the victim’s phone, “It was only after the victim pointed out the officer who took the phone that it was returned to him,” he said.
Despite the resolution, the victim reportedly stated that his medicated glasses, which he said were purchased abroad, were not recovered.
The Take It Back Movement Edo State Chapter says the intervention prevented what could have resulted in unlawful detention and possible extortion, while reaffirming its commitment to defending citizens against abuse of authority.
Onobumhe added that the movement will continue to monitor such cases and advocate for accountability and respect for citizens’ rights.
Attempts to reach officials of the Edo State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for comments on the incident were unsuccessful at the time this report was filed.
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