The Oyo State Police Command has apprehended 15 suspected cultists and armed robbers in Ibadan, the state capital.
The suspects were paraded on Monday by the State Commissioner of Police, Ayodele Sonubi, at the Command headquarters in Eleyele.
While addressing journalists, Sonubi expressed concern over the rising menace of cultism and related criminal activities in the state.
“Cultism poses a significant threat to public safety,” Sonubi stated, highlighting the Command’s strategic measures to combat the menace.
During the operation, several incriminating items were seized, including: Five jackets with cultism inscriptions; Three dane guns; One locally made pistol; One cut-to-size gun; One long-barrel gun; A Toyota Camry with registration number KTU 41 JH; A red cloth, a powder blue beret with inscriptions, and three cutlasses, among other items.
Cultism hotspots identified
The Commissioner revealed that cult-related activities have been reported in several areas across Ibadan, 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,” Sonubi explained.
To address the issue, the Command has employed intelligence gathering, advocacy campaigns, stakeholder meetings, and regular raids to stem the spread of violence.
Community appeal, policing measures
Sonubi appealed to parents, guardians, and community leaders to dissuade their wards from engaging in cultism, warning that the police would not hesitate to bring perpetrators to justice.
He assured residents of “high-level visibility policing, coordinated stop-and-search operations, and intelligence-led raids” aimed at maintaining law and order.
The Commissioner also emphasised improvements in the supervision of field officers, particularly junior cadres, to prevent cases of professional misconduct, incivility, and extortion.
“The Oyo State Police Command under my watch is committed to ensuring the relative tranquility of our beloved state,” he concluded.
