No fewer than 31 suspected cultists were on Monday paraded by the Ogun State Police Command while seven others were arrested for various offences ranging from armed robbery, defilement of minor and murder. Majority of the suspected cultists are students of
Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, FUNNAB while others are from Federal College of Education, Osiele, Abeokuta.
A female suspect, Itunu Abiola who claimed to be a student of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, MAPOLY, Ojere, Abeokuta told journalists that she was wrongly arrested on her way to meet one of her cousins. Parading the suspects at the Command’s headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital today, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Ikemefuna Okoye explained that the students were arrested at a hotel in Obantoko area of the town.
During the parade, a big banner with an inscription
“National Association of Airlords”, FUNNAB chapter, OAK Nest, Determination Regime’ was displayed by some of the suspected cultists while T- shirts with Eiye confraternity inscriptions and other paraphernalia were also displayed. The CP explained that the suspects were arrested last
Friday after receiving an intelligent report that the cultists belonging to Eiye confraternity were having initiation ceremony in the area.
According to him, “the detective attached to Obanotko Division of the command swung into action and arrested the suspects at BOLIF Hotel in the area while initiating some new members into the group”, Okoye revealed. Speaking with journalists, one of the suspects, Oluwatobi Asekun, a 500 level student of Agric- Economics in FUNNAB confessed that he actually arranged the hotel for the suspects, but added that, he never knew that they are cultists.
According to him, “I was told that they needed a hotel which was not costly. I was told it was an award presentation party by a friend called Ajayi, it was when I saw the banner and the jersey that I notified the manager of the hotel while the police were invited but I was arrested. I am not a member, I normally visit the hotel to relax every Wednesday and that was why I arranged the hotel for them”, he narrated. Okoye explained that the case is still under investigation, promising that those found guilty will be punished while those wrongly arrested will be discharged una acquitted. Other suspects arrested with various offences included two suspects who were alleged to be notorious armed robbers. They were arrested in Idi-Aba area of Abeokuta, after attacking a pastor, Revd. Franklin Nkwusi Eyooyinbo of Foursquare Gospel Church.
According to the police, the two suspects, identified as Sodiq Asimiyu and Tunde Egunjobi attacked the pastors and his family members in front of the church and dispossessed them of their belonging including a cash of N125,000 and other valuables.
“During the robbery operation, the gang also attempted to have carnal knowledge of her daughter and later shot the reverend father on his mouth. His offence was that he challenged them to leave his child alone”, the CP said.
Another suspect, a 25 year old Kayode Akanni was also paraded for having the carnal knowledge of a 3 year old victim by tricking the toddler with a bunch of keys into his room before defiling the young girl.
The Commissioner of Police explained that the mother of the baby, Abigael Salako was looking for her daughter, before she was found being defiled by the suspects and immediately reported the case at Ayetoro Division of the Command.
While commenting on the achievements of the Command since the beginning of this year, the Police boss explained that properties worth N119, 435, 690 has so far been recovered.
Okoye explained that 220 suspects have so far been arrested for armed robbery, 92 suspected cultists, 44 suspects for defile cases while 37 robbers have lost their lives during the period under review. He also told journalists that 1,777 ammunitions have so far been recovered, 116 vehicles recovered, while 549 cases have been charged to court with 115 convictions.
The Commissioner assured that the Command will make policing proactive, accessible, transparent and accountable in order to realize the vision of the new Inspector General of Police.