Operatives of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit of the Bayelsa State Police Command have arrested a pastor, Elijah Oro, over an alleged plot to assassinate a rival cleric in the state.
Also arrested in connection with the plot is Samuel Daniel, a 21-year-old suspected member of a notorious cult group.
According to the police, Pastor Oro allegedly hired Daniel to kill the rival pastor following a dispute linked to church membership drive and property issues.
Confirming the development in a statement on Wednesday, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Musa Mohammed, said the suspects were apprehended during an intelligence-led operation carried out on January 28, 2026.
“On 28th January, 2026, at about 1035 hours, operatives attached to the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit, acting on credible intelligence, arrested two suspects, namely Samuel Daniel, male, 21 years old, of Nembe Ogbolomabiri Community, Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, and Pastor Elijah Oro, male, 59 years old, of Ozoro Community, Delta State,” the statement read.
DSP Mohammed disclosed that preliminary investigation revealed that Samuel Daniel was arrested within the premises of the intended victim, whose name was withheld for security reasons.
“He confessed to being a member of the Greenlanders Confraternity and alleged that he was hired by Pastor Elijah Oro to assassinate the prophet,” the police spokesman said.
The police added that investigation is ongoing to fully unravel the motive behind the alleged plot and identify other possible accomplices.
The Bayelsa State Police Command reassured residents of its commitment to the protection of lives and property, urging members of the public to continue to provide timely and credible information to security agencies.
