The Oyo State Police Command has arrested 11 students of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology over their alleged involvement in cult-related activities and recovered firearms, ammunition and other dangerous weapons during an intelligence-led operation in Ogbomoso.
The command said the suspects are believed to be members of the notorious Eiye Confraternity and were allegedly planning coordinated attacks within the university community before their arrest.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Olayinka Ayanlade, disclosed this in a statement issued in Ibadan on Friday.
According to him, operatives of the command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) acted on credible intelligence indicating that members of the cult group had gathered at hideouts in the Under-G, Yuako and Adenike areas of Ogbomoso to perfect plans for attacks capable of causing unrest within the student community.
“Acting on credible intelligence received by the command, operatives of the command’s Violent Crime Response Unit were deployed after it was established that members of the dreaded Eiye Confraternity had converged at their hideout within the Under-G, Yuako and Adenike areas, where they were allegedly perfecting plans to launch coordinated attacks within the student community capable of causing widespread unrest,” Ayanlade said.
He explained that the operatives swiftly moved to the identified locations and disrupted the alleged plot before it could be carried out.
“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 11 male suspects,” he added.
The police identified the suspects as Adedapo Victor, 24, alleged leader of the group; Taiwo Rasheed, 22, alleged second-in-command; Emeka Isaac, 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.
A search of the suspects and their hideouts led to the recovery of several weapons and other items believed to be linked to cult activities.
The exhibits recovered include four locally fabricated pistols, 11 live cartridges, one expended cartridge, two cult axes, a cutlass, a dagger and a red cult hooded cap.
“Exhibits recovered include four locally fabricated cut-to-size pistols; eleven live cartridges; one expended cartridge; two cult axes; one cutlass; one dagger knife; and one red cult hooded cap,” the police spokesperson stated.
The command further disclosed that the suspects, during preliminary interrogation, allegedly confessed to being members of the Eiye Confraternity.
According to the police, initial investigations also linked the suspects to various cult-related crimes, including alleged involvement in murder cases.Ayanlade said further investigations confirmed that all 11 suspects are students of LAUTECH.
Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Olugbenga Abimbola, commended the officers involved in the operation for their professionalism and timely intervention.
“The CP 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,” Ayanlade said.
The police commissioner also assured residents that efforts were ongoing to track down other suspected members of the group who remain at large.
“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,” he added.
The command said the suspects would be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations and urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies.
It reiterated its determination to combat cultism and other violent crimes across the state, stressing that it remains committed to ensuring public safety and maintaining law and order.
