Ibadan Mayhem: Oyo Police Arrest ‘One Million Boys’ Leader, 166 Other Suspects

A notorious leader of the dreaded cult group, ‘One Miýllion Boys’ that has been terrorising Ibadan lately, Moshood Oladokun, aka Ekugbemi was among the other 166 suspects paraded by the Oyo State Police Command on Friday. The suspects were arrested between late 2016 and early this year for various heinous crimes, recovery of large cache of arms and ammunition, recovery of stolen cars, motorcycles, electronics, cash, weeds suspected to be Indian hemp, fake currencies, and other valuable properties.

Parading the notorious gang leader, the state Commissioner for Police, Samuel Adegbuyi said he was arrested by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the command, adding that he was responsible for the spate of violence in places like Beere, Born Photo, Isale-Osi, Mapo, Idi-Aro and other parts of Ibadan metropolis. “During such violence, the group led by the suspect, caused unimaginable violence leading to arson, looting, destruction of valuable properties, maiming and senseless murder using various dangerous weapons with the miscreants iýnflicted pains and caused apprehension to innocent people in the affected areas.

On September 15, 2016 around 2pm, two rival cult groups, one led by Ekugbemi from Born Photo and another group led by Alaba aka Ojoweliweli from Foko area clashed during a carnival held at Born Photo. “During the clash, the hoodlums attacked and robbed innocent victims of their valuable properties, shops were broken, properties looted and two men, Kazeem Omoleý and Opaleye Farouk were killed.

The police reacted and brought the situation under control. Some suspects were arrested in connection with the violence and were subsequently arraigned in court after being found culpable. Leaders of the rival cult groups and their hatchet men escaped afterwards and had since been very elusive. “However, through intensive investigation arising from high level intelligence, Ekugbemi was located in his criminal hideout at Ajah area of Lagos.

In a well coordinated operation carried out by the Special Anti-robbery Squad of the state command around 8pm on December 23, 2016, the notorious kingpin of the cult group and his cohorts were arrested during a shootout while others escaped with bullet wounds. His cohorts arrested are, Mutiy Lawal (22), Habib Oladiti (26), and Akinkunmi Abioye (35). Exhibits recovered from them includes, a burnt bajaj motorcycle, expended catridges, and 20 pellets, ” he said According to him, during interrogation, the suspects confessed to the crime and series of other criminal ýactivities carried out in various parts of  Ibadan and environs.

In an interview with Ekugbemi, the 32 years old notorious kingpin dispelled all the allegation, stressing that he is only from a masquerade family in Born Photo area of Ibadan. “It was during a masquerade carnival ýthat some drunk hoodlums entered into our family house at born photo and started beating our mothers and elderly ones. That was why we faced the cult group which later claimed that we are also part of their cult group.

I work in Lagos as a commercial bus driver, but only come to Ibadan once in a while for the Masquerade festivals because am from that family house. I have never killed anybody before,” he said Also, ýa suspected ritualist, Saheed Adeyemi (33) was arrested with human head along with one, Michael Edemba (60) around 5:30pm on February 2, 2017. He said the arrest of the suspect was made possible following a tip off by members of the public. “Adeyemi walked into the ambush laid by the police while trying to remove the exhibit wrapped in a black polythene bag and hidden beside a shop at Abidogun junction, Omi-Adio.

His arrest led to the second suspect while preparing to escape from the town when he knew the first suspect had been nabbed. During interrogation, both suspects confessed to the crime. “The first suspect who is an herbalist resident at Awonsonso village, Apata, disclosed that he bought the human head for N15,000 from a-yet- to be identified woman, now at large for the purpose of making money rituals for the second suspect who was passing through hard times as a result of financial difficulty.” he said.

THE NATION