Oyo State Police Command has arrested 11 suspected cultists, alleged to be members of the dreaded Eiye Confraternity and also foiled their plan to attack student community in Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso.
This was as the law enforcement agency recovered firearms, ammunition, and other dangerous weapons from the suspects.
The state PPRO, DSP Alayande Olayinka, stated this in a release, describing the arrest as another significant breakthrough in the sustained offensive against cultism and other violent crimes in the state.
The suspects, said to be students of LAUTECH, were 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).
How the 11 suspected cultists were arrested
The 11 suspected cultists were said to have been arrested following a credible intelligence received by the state Police Command.
Acting on the credible intelligence, operatives of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) were deployed after it was established that members of the dreaded Eiye Confraternity had converged at their hideout.
The hideout, it was stated in the release, was within the Under-G, Yuako, and Adenike areas, of the students’ community around LAUTECH.
The suspects were also allegedly perfecting plans to launch coordinated attacks within the community and capable of causing widespread unrest.
“On arrival at the identified locations, the operatives swiftly intervened and successfully foiled the planned attacks before they could be executed, leading to the arrest of eleven male suspects.
“Following their arrest, the suspects were taken into custody where they voluntarily confessed to being members of the dreaded Eiye Confraternity.
“Preliminary investigation further revealed their alleged involvement in various cult-related criminal activities, including murder.
“Further investigation established that all eleven suspects are students of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso.
“Subsequently, a thorough search conducted on the suspects and their hideout led to the recovery of several incriminating exhibits, believed to have been intended for use in violent activities,” it was stated in the release.
Exhibits recovered from the suspected cultists include four locally-fabricated cut-to-size pistols; 11 live cartridges; one expended cartridge; two cult axes; one cutlass; one dagger knife; and one red cult hooded cap.
Reacting to the development, the state Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, commended the professionalism, vigilance, and prompt action of the operatives.
He noted that their swift response prevented what could have escalated into violent attacks within the student community.
He assured that the Command remained committed to ensuring that all individuals connected to the criminal network are brought to justice, disclosing that efforts were ongoing to apprehend other fleeing members of the syndicate.
The Command assured that all suspects will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
It urged members of the public to continue supporting the Police with timely and credible information that will aid the fight against cultism and other violent crimes.
“The Oyo State Police Command remains resolute in its commitment to ridding the state of cultism and other violent crimes and ensuring sustained public safety and order,” it was added in the release.
