According to a statement from the State Police Command Headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta, signed by the State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, operatives attached to Ota Division of the Command nabbed more than 20 cultists that have been terrorising on residents of Araromi area of Ota.
The suspects were arrested on the eve of the New Year, 31 December, 2015 at about 11pm..
The leaders of the gang are Asari Samson,17,and Ola Samuel,17.
Weapons such as axes, rods and dummy guns were in their possession when police operatives swooped on them during one of their operations and they were arrested while other members took to their heels.
Another set of cultist members were arrested, also in Ota, four months after they initiated a young boy into the group.
According to the statement, the young boy was initiated in a bush at Destiny Estate, Ota in Ado-Odo/ Ota Local Government Area of Ogun state, last August around 9pm.
The suspects were arrested on New Year day, Friday, 1 January 2016, when the father of the initiated young boy saw them and immediately reported to the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Ota Police Division, who swung into action and arrested four of the cult members.
Those arrested include: Ismail Yusuf, 19, Oyeleye Ibrahim, 26, Dayo Ayo, 14 and Adeleke Segun, 18, while other members are now at large.
Adejobi said: “The suspects have all confessed to the crimes and we have credible evidence to prosecute them.
“While planning for a hitch free yuletide season in Ogun, the Command pounced on criminals and cultists in the state and sniffed them out of their hideouts, through constant raids.
“Many were arrested with weapons, including sophisticated guns, and that was why the Command had the last season as the most peaceful so far.
“There is no doubt that many of these cultists are the armed robbers and/or criminals who have been terrorizing the state and that’s why the Command will not relent in its war against cultism in Ogun state.”
Meanwhile, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Abdulmajid Ali has one more time reaffirmed his zero tolerance for cultism or any act of hooliganism and social vices that can cause tension in the state.
He urged parents and guardians to monitor their children and report any strange attitudes noticed in them to the police.
He said “this will help detect any criminality in them on time, which will definitely go a long way to stem cultism in Ogun state.”
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