Bayelsa Cleric Arrested Over Assassination Plot Against Rival Prophet

​YENAGOA – The Bayelsa State Police Command has uncovered a chilling plot involving spiritual rivalry turned deadly. Detectives from the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit have apprehended 59-year-old Pastor Elijah Oro for allegedly hiring a known cultist to assassinate a rival prophet in Yenagoa.

​The arrest, which took place on January 28, 2026, followed a sting operation based on “credible intelligence” regarding a threat to the life of a prominent local cleric.

​The Conspiracy and Arrest

​According to police reports, Pastor Oro, a native of the Ozoro community in Delta State, allegedly contracted 21-year-old Samuel Daniel to execute the murder. Daniel, identified by authorities as a member of the notorious Greenlanders cult group, was caught red-handed within the premises of the intended victim.

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​DSP Musa Mohammed, the Police Public Relations Officer for the Bayelsa Command, confirmed the incident in a statement yesterday.

​”SWAT operatives arrested Samuel Daniel and Pastor Elijah Oro in connection with a planned assassination. Preliminary investigations reveal that Daniel was apprehended at the prophet’s residence and has since confessed to being hired by Oro for the mission,” Mohammed stated.

​Motive: Souls and Space

​While the police are still deepening their investigation, sources close to the matter suggest the friction stemmed from a bitter dispute over church membership migration and landed property. It is alleged that the suspect felt his “territory” was being encroached upon by the rival prophet, leading to the desperate decision to resort to hired violence.

​Both suspects remain in custody and are expected to be charged in court once the investigation is concluded. The police command has used this opportunity to warn religious leaders against engaging in criminal activities, emphasizing that the law recognizes no “spiritual immunity” for violence.