Arrested cultists
Oyo State Police Command has arrested 11 suspected members of the Eiye Confraternity, all said to be students of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, after foiling an alleged planned cult attack and recovering firearms, ammunition and other dangerous weapons.
The Command said the operation was carried out by operatives of its Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) following credible intelligence indicating that members of the cult group had assembled at hideouts located within the Under-G, Yuako and Adenike areas of Ogbomoso to allegedly finalise plans for coordinated attacks within the student community.
Police spokesperson, DSP Ayanlade Oluseyi Olayinka, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday, noting that the operatives acted swiftly, stormed the identified locations and disrupted the planned attacks before they could be carried out.
According to the statement, the operation led to the arrest of 11 male suspects who were subsequently taken into custody for interrogation.
The police identified the suspects as Adedapo Victor, 24, alleged leader of the group; Taiwo Rasheed, 22, alleged second-in-command; Emeka Issac, 20; Akande Segundo, 26; Akande Julius, 26; Stephen Opeyemi, 24; Fortune Abel, 22; Oluwatunmise Ayodeji, 22; Adigun Oladimeji, 32; Akande Moses, 28; and Karim Kalid, 20.
The statement said preliminary investigations revealed that all the suspects are students of LAUTECH and allegedly confessed to being members of the Eiye Confraternity. Investigators also linked them to several cult-related crimes, including alleged involvement in murder.
A search of the suspects and their hideout reportedly led to the recovery of four locally fabricated cut-to-size pistols, 11 live cartridges, one expended cartridge, two cult axes, one cutlass, one dagger knife and a red cult hooded cap.
Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, “commended the professionalism, vigilance, and prompt action of the operatives whose swift response prevented what could have escalated into violent attacks within the student community.”
He also “assured that the Command remains committed to ensuring that all individuals connected to the criminal network are brought to justice, as efforts are ongoing to apprehend other fleeing members of the syndicate.”
The Command further stated that the suspects would be charged to court after investigations are concluded, while urging residents to continue providing timely and credible information to support the fight against cultism and other violent crimes.
The police reaffirmed their commitment to eliminating cult-related activities and other violent crimes across Oyo State to ensure the safety of residents.
