Pastor Arrested in Bayelsa Over Alleged Plot to Kill Rival Cleric

By Micheal Chukwuebuka

Operatives of the Bayelsa State Police Command’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit have arrested a pastor, identified as Elijah Oro, over an alleged plan to assassinate a rival prophet in the state.

Police sources said the suspect, who hails from Delta State, is accused of hiring a 21-year-old man, Samuel Daniel, said to be a member of the Greenlanders cult group, to carry out the attack. The alleged plot is believed to have stemmed from a dispute involving church membership and property.

Confirming the development, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Musa Mohammed, said the arrests were made following credible intelligence. He noted that both suspects are currently under investigation in connection with an alleged attempt on the life of a prophet, whose identity has been withheld for security reasons.

According to DSP Mohammed, “On 28 January 2026, at about 10:35 a.m., operatives of the SWAT Unit arrested Samuel Daniel, 21, of Nembe Ogbolomabiri Community, and Pastor Elijah Oro, 59, of Ozoro Community in Delta State, over an alleged plot to kill a prophet.”

He added that preliminary investigations revealed that Samuel Daniel was apprehended at the prophet’s premises and allegedly confessed to being a member of the Greenlanders cult, claiming he was hired by Pastor Oro to carry out the act. Police say investigations are ongoing to establish the full circumstances and motive behind the alleged plot.