The Osun State Police Command has arrested six suspected cult members said to be terrorising Osogbo and neighbouring towns.
The command’s spokesperson, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, confirmed the arrests in a statement on Friday, noting that the move is part of Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Kotun’s ongoing efforts to clamp down on cultism and other criminal activities across the state.
According to him, on August 21, around 6:30 p.m., two suspects — identified as “ORIFE” and “AGA”, both 29 — were arrested during a student union week event at one of the state’s higher institutions. They later confessed to belonging to the Aiye and Buccaneer confraternities.
Earlier on August 19, four additional suspects were arrested in Okuku Town and its environs after detectives from the anti-cultism unit moved in on credible intelligence. They also confessed to being members of the Aiye confraternity.
In a separate raid, police operatives stormed the hideout of suspected Eiye confraternity members led by a notorious gang leader known as “Gafari”, who had been terrorising residents of Gbeja and Oke-Baale in Osogbo. Although the suspects escaped, police recovered dangerous weapons, including:
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Cut-to-size single-barrel gun
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Cut-to-size double-barreled gun
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Five cutlasses
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One axe
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Three live cartridges
DSP Ojelabi added that investigations are ongoing and the suspects in custody will be charged in court.
Commissioner Kotun warned students and youths across the state to stay away from cultism, stressing that “the law will not spare anyone found guilty of cult-related activities.”