By Ahmed Ajikobi
The Kwara State police command has arrested and paraded 16 suspected cultists in connection to killings in Oko-Olowo area in Ilorin, the state capital.
The suspects paraded on Thursday at the police headquarters were said to be members of aiye and eiye confraternity.
The suspect are Asake Azeez, 28; Ishola Olasanmi, 28; Adeshina Sambo, 21; Oluwaremi Balikis, Jimoh Aisha, Olarewaju Amina, Titilayo Alabi of Aiye confraternity.
Others paraded are Shuiab Moroguru, Saheed Idris ‘Eniola Babatunde, Wasiu Saliu, Abdulganiu Azeez, Lekan Bello, Abdulrasaq Isah and Tajudeen Eniola, Jamina Hassan of eiye confraternity.
Exhibit recovered were two cut to size locally made guns, axe, many wraps of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp, charms, one Bajaj motorcycle and one Bajaj tricycle
The state Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Bagega during the parade said the suspects confessed to be cultists belong to eiye and aiye confraternities
He further said that, the suspects were arrested during an attempt to launch attack in Oloje and Oko-Olowo areas of the state capital.
“Acting on a highly potent intelligence regarding the plans and near execution of an attack at Oloje/Okoolowo area of Ilorin by some cultists, I immediately dispatched the newly created team of Anti-Cultists in collaboration with vigilantes to storm the area, the effort paid off, as sixteen suspected cultists both male and female wielding dangerous weapons including guns, machetes, Axe, charms, wrap of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp and other items to be used in the foiled attack were arrested.
“In their voluntary confessional statements, they confessed to be members of both Aiye and Eiye confraternities and that they were in Oko-Olowo on a revenge mission, if not for our effort, they would have unleashed an unmitigated terror on the residents and we all know their trademark, death,” the CP explained.
Bagega explained further that, “to ensure maximum performance of the teams, I have re-invigorated, re-kit and highly motivated the Command’s anti-kidnapping and Anti-Cultists teams for effective and efficient services for them to face the challenges of keeping the State safe and secured especially from cultists and kidnappers, this has yielded some positive fruits one of which we are parading today.
“In accordance with the commitment I made to the people of Kwara State, that crimes and criminality will be brought down to the barest minimum level during my tour on duty in the state exploring the instrumentality of community policing which entails proactive and intelligence led policing, this has helped in several ways to reduce crimes in the State, especially, two recent serious crimes of cultism and kidnapping.”
He added that the matter is still undergoing investigation as effort is being made to arrest others.
Speaking with our reporter at the parade, one of the suspects, Azeez Asake of Oloje compound, claimed not to be a cultist.
“I am not a cultist, I am a Marijuana dealer. That is what I do for a living. That’s the source of my income, which I use to cater for my family, younger ones and children’s school fees.
“I learned barbing but did not have money to buy equipment. If I can get people who will help me or invest in me. I will stop criminal activities,” he said.
