Police Arrest Three Suspected Cultists, Bike Thief In Osun

The Osun State Police Command on Thursday said it apprehended three suspected cultists and one car thief in Osogbo, the state capital.

Yemisi Opalola, the Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in a statement made available to journalists in Osogbo, Osun State, said the arrest was successful as a result of a coordinated operation by its operatives and hunters in the state.

According to her, the suspects arrested had attacked a few people in the Alekuwodo area at around 12:30 p.m.

Opalola also said that the alleged cultists have a history of frightening locals in the state Alekuwodo neighbourhood, in the state’s capital.

“We received information from members of the public that the hoodlums suspected to be members of an unlawful society were terrorising the Alekuwodo area, Osogbo.

“Immediately the information was received, detectives from the Anti-Cultism Unit swung into action and apprehended three suspects, while others took to their heels. The three of them confessed to being members of the Aye Confraternity,” she said.

In addition, Opalola disclosed that Sodiq, a renowned motorcycle-snatching gang member, had also been apprehended in Osogbo’s Ilesa Garage neighbourhood.

It was further gathered that the suspect was taken into custody by members of the Nigeria Hunters and Forest Security Service as well as operatives of the Osun police command assigned to the Anti-Cultism Unit while they were out on patrol in the neighbourhood.

The police spokesperson stated that the goal of the operation would be to apprehend the remaining gang members who were on the run.

A resident of the Alekuwodo area simply identified as Adebayo, claimed that the accused cultists had been terrorizing the locals for some time before the police caught them.

He stated that when the suspects had gathered for a meeting in the area, members of the Osun Anti-Cultism Squad ambushed them, taking three of the suspected cultists into custody while the others ran away.