Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
No fewer than 19 persons suspected to be members of various cult groups have been arrested by the Ondo State police command.
The suspected cultists were said to be members of different gangs allegedly terrorising the people of the state.
The suspected cultists, who were paraded at the state headquarters of the police command in Akure, were said to be members of Eiye and Aiye fraternities.
Also arrested by the police was one Salami Aliyu known as “General Paul” who was alleged to be a notorious armed robber and cultist terrorising Ore in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), Mr Femi Joseph, who paraded the suspects before newsmen said for a long time “General Paul” had been on the wanted list of Nigeria Police in the state.
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Joseph said: “At the wee hours of December 29, 2018, the policemen in Ore got a tip-off that some suspected armed robbers and cultists, who had been on the wanted list of the police, were hibernating at Iroju area in Ore.
“Policemen from Ore division immediately stormed the place and arrested some suspected robbers and cultists. They, thereafter, led the police to arrest their kingpin and a leader of their gang, Salami Aliyu a.k.a “General Paul”, a notorious armed robber and unrepentant cultist who had been involved in so many violent crimes within Ore and environs,” he added.
The PPRO who stated that the notorious cultist and seven others were arrested in Ore, disclosed that 11 cultists were also arrested in various parts of Akure, the state capital.
Joseph emphasised that the arrests were made possible with the cooperation and assistance of some youths in Akure.
“On the 24th of December, 2018, officers and men of the Area Command, Akure, acting on a tip-off arrested some suspected cultists who were members of various cult groups at different locations within Akure with the assistance of some youth leaders of Akure community. They all confessed to be Eiye and Aiye fraternity members.”
One of the suspected cultists, Afolabi Lukuman who spoke with journalists denied being a member of any cult gang.
According to him, he was arrested with his friends while returning from a street carnival held within their neighborhood.