The cultists were part of the 70 suspects paraded yesterday for various
offences.
Also among the suspects was a 31-year-old commercial motorcyclist, Wasiu
Ganiyu, who was nabbed for fatally shooting a Divisional Police Officer, CSP
Adeyinka Akingbade.
The state
Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, who paraded the suspects at the command
headquarters at Eleweran, Abeokuta, said the arrest was a result of
"Operation Criminal Mop-up" launched across the state.
Iliyasu said their offences ranged from
armed robbery to kidnapping, cultism, ritual killing, illegal possession
of firearms and impersonation.
He said: “In view of the fact that we are now in Ember months which
traditionally is always the peak of criminal activities, the Ogun State Police
Command decided to step up its crime fighting efforts by taking the war against
crime to the door steps of criminals so as not to give them any leverage to
attack the good people of the state.”
According to the police boss, the suspects were picked up from different locations
through technical intelligence gathering while others were caught in the act.
He added that various items, including stolen
vehicles, assorted guns, live and expended cartridges, weeds suspected to be
Indian hemp and Nigerian Army uniform, were recovered from them.
Iliyasu explained that police operatives, on Saturday, busted the
suspected cultists at a hotel located at Oke-Yidi, Lantoro area of Abeokuta.
He said: “Through technical intelligence, a group of dreaded cultists
who have been on the wanted list of the command were said to be planning an
initiation of new members to mark the initiation of 309 members of their group.
“They planned to launch the attack as a result of their inability to
have their usual 7/7 anniversary due to police proactive steps.”
On the strength of the intelligence, the commissioner said 31 persons
among them were arrested while others escaped through the fence.
He said: “Four pump action guns, two cut-to-size locally-made double-barrelled
pistols, 11 live cartridges and T-shirt with inscription of Aye Confraternity
logo were part of the exhibits recovered.”
However, Bose, who was billed to hold her marriage introduction the
following day, was among the suspects apprehended at the scene.
The bride-to-be, who denied being a cult member, told our correspondent
in an interview that one of her boyfriends invited her to the party.
She said: “I’m an apprentice at a fashion designing workshop. My
introduction was supposed to hold the day after we were arrested, but I
couldn't go. My parents are in the village in Cross River State. I appeal to
the police to release me because I don't know anything about the crime.”
Fielding questions from journalists, Ganiyu, who was arrested over last
month’s attack on DPO in charge of Ogbere, confessed to the crime.
The suspect disclosed that he was once a getaway motorcyclist of
notorious robbery kingpin, Abiodun Egunjobi, popularly known as Godogodo.
He, however, claimed that his slain gang leader, simply identified as
Mungo Park, snatched the wounded DPO's rifle after shooting him.
Two AK47 rifles, one pump action gun, seven magazines loaded with 30
rounds of live ammunition each, five live cartridges, one Toyota Sienna car,
motorcycle and jack knife were allegedly recovered from him.
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