The student, described as academically brilliant and a multiple award winner, was allegedly the leader of the Eiye confraternity
By Moses Okorie
The Police Command in Oyo State says it has arrested a former student of an institution in Ibadan and his colleagues over alleged cultism and unlawful possession of firearms.
The suspects were among 11 persons arrested for alleged cultism, armed robbery and other criminal activities in different parts of the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, disclosed this while parading the suspects at the command’s headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan, on Monday.
Ayanlade said the student, described as academically brilliant and a multiple award winner, was allegedly the leader of the Eiye confraternity.
According to him, the suspect was arrested alongside his colleagues with a firearm, a cutlass and ammunition.
The police spokesperson said the arrests formed part of ongoing operations aimed at eliminating crime and criminal activities, particularly violent offences, across the state.
He disclosed that operatives also arrested suspected armed robbers who allegedly specialised in dispossessing unsuspecting members of the public of their valuables, especially mobile phones, in Ibadan and its environs.
Ayanlade said the suspects were apprehended in their hideouts by operatives of the command’s Monitoring Unit following intelligence gathering and collaboration with members of the public.
He added that the alleged leader of the robbery syndicate had previously been arrested and prosecuted and was currently in a correctional facility.
Items recovered from the suspects included five firearms, comprising a revolver pistol, a Beretta pistol, a pump-action gun and a locally made cut-to-size pistol, as well as four cutlasses.
Speaking with journalists, one of the suspected armed robbers, aged 35, said his gang used cutlasses to intimidate victims before snatching their mobile phones.
He claimed that the gang had stolen about 10 expensive phones, which were subsequently sold for between N40,000 and N50,000 each.
The suspected cultist, on his part, said he became the group’s leader about a year ago after graduating from an institution in the Apata area of Ibadan.
He, however, said he could not explain what motivated him to join the cult group.