The Oyo State Police Command has arrested 15 individuals suspected to be cultists and armed robbers in Ibadan, the state capital.
The suspects were presented to the public on Monday by the State Commissioner of Police, Ayodele Sonubi, at the Command’s headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan.
Speaking during the briefing, Sonubi voiced his concern over the increasing threat posed by cultism and its associated criminal activities within the state.
“Cultism poses a significant threat to public safety,” Sonubi remarked, as he outlined the Command’s strategic approach to addressing the issue.
Items recovered during the operation
The police operation led to the recovery of several incriminating items, including five jackets with cult-related inscriptions, three dane guns, a locally made pistol, a cut-to-size gun, a long-barrel gun, and a Toyota Camry with registration number KTU 41 JH.
Other seized items included a red cloth, a powder blue beret with cult markings, and three cutlasses.
Sonubi identified areas across Ibadan that have been affected by cult-related violence, including Apete, Abayomi (Iwo-Road axis), Ijokodo, Moniya, Monatan, Ojoo, Samonda, and Sango.
“These experiences of cult-related violence are retaliatory-driven, embedded with a quest for absolute dominance by these sinister cult groups against their rivals,” the Commissioner explained.
To combat this menace, the Command has deployed various strategies, such as intelligence gathering, advocacy efforts, stakeholder engagements, and regular raids to disrupt the cycle of violence.
Sonubi called on parents, guardians, and community leaders to actively discourage their wards from joining cult groups. He warned that the police would take decisive action against anyone found involved in cultism.
He also reassured residents of the Command’s commitment to maintaining law and order through increased visibility policing, coordinated stop-and-search operations, and intelligence-driven raids.
Additionally, the Commissioner highlighted measures to enhance oversight of field officers, particularly junior personnel, to curb professional misconduct, incivility, and extortion.
“The Oyo State Police Command under my watch is committed to ensuring the relative tranquility of our beloved state,” Sonubi affirmed.
