The Oyo State Police Command, on Monday, paraded 10 students and three artisans for allegedly being members of a cult.
During a press briefing at the command headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan, the state Commissioner of Police, Shina Olukolu, listed the accomplishments of the command since the launch of the Operation Puff Adder.
Olukolu said, “We have rejigged our security architecture through community and intelligence led-policing, revamped vehicular patrol, the launch of Operation Puff Adder and public partnership to rid the state of kidnapping, armed robbery and other heinous crimes in order to stem the rising wave of criminal activities.
“On May 1, information was received by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Saki Operational Base, that some members of a notorious confraternity, who had been engaged in various acts of violence and criminal activities in Saki town and other areas in the Oke-Ogun axis of Oyo State, were sighted in their hideout beside the Nighles Hotel in Saki.
“They had gathered to initiate new members into the confraternity. Ten members of the group, who confessed to be members of the Eiye Confraternity, were arrested.
“Seven out of the 13 arrested are students of the Oke-Ogun Polytechnic; one each from Landmark University, University of Ibadan and the National Open University, while the other three are artisans.
“One Jack knife, one live cartridge, two black caps, charms and Indian hemp were recovered from the cult members.”
One of the suspects, Kehinde Olatunji, who is a student of the Oke-Ogun Polytechnic, told our correspondent that the 13 of them were members of the Eiye Confraternity.
“We were all members of Eiye. I joined about a year ago. We were having our meeting when the police came to round us up. There was no initiation, it was our regular meeting,” he said.
Three suspected kidnappers, who allegedly laid ambush on the Igbo-Ora/Eruwa Road, were also paraded.
The police claimed that while their other victims were rescued, the suspects had killed one Yusuf.
While attempting to escape, the kingpin of the group, Umar Abubakar, was gunned down by the SARS operatives.
One of the suspects, Ahmed Abdulahi, said he was implicated and was not a member of the syndicate.
The CP urged the people of the Ibarapa area to keep calm as the police had arrested those responsible for the incessant cases of kidnapping in the area.
