Police in Edo State have confirmed the death of 25-year-old Prosper Ezekiel during an alleged Black Axe cult initiation in Warrake forest, Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area.
Ezekiel reportedly collapsed mid-ritual on Saturday, August 2, 2025, and was rushed to a hospital in Jattu, where doctors pronounced him dead.
According to police spokesperson CSP Moses Joel, the initiation involved three men (Ezekiel, Cosmos Ado (32), and Redeem Afeabor), all from Afeokpella community in Okpella. Acting on intelligence, operatives from the Auchi Division arrested Ado at the scene while others fled.
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Investigators recovered four expended cartridges at the forest site.
Edo State Commissioner of Police Monday Agbonika has ordered a full investigation and directed officers to track down all suspects linked to the incident.
Agbonika reiterated the command’s zero tolerance for cultism, warning that anyone involved in unlawful assemblies or cult-related violence would face prosecution.
He urged parents, community leaders, and religious institutions to work with security agencies to discourage youths from joining secret cults, stressing that such activities often lead to tragedy.
