ACTIVITIES of cult groups in some major towns in Ondo state has continued to attract public outcry in the last few months.
As various cult groups are said to have been terrorizing the people of major town across the state in recent times, parents have continued to raise alarm over the recruitment of their wards by some miscreants in towns such as Akure and Ondo.
Supremacy battle between the different cult groups have resulted in the untimely death of many innocent youths. Some lost their lives during their initiation, while others died during supremacy tussles between groups.
The outcry attracted the attention of stakeholders across the state and they made representation to the state Police command which acted swiftly.
Speaking with South West Voice, the state Police Commissioner, Isaac Eke said the command has responded swiftly to the public outcry.
Eke said that a 39-Man Special Anti Cultism Squad (SACS) has been inaugurated, in the Command’s efforts to clampdown on the activities of the cultists,
The squad, according to Eke is saddled with responsibility of fighting cultism and other related violent crimes in the State.
During their inauguration, the police Boss directed them to go out there and flush-out criminal elements operating under the guise of secret cults which have been a major challenge facing the command in recent times. Eke explained that “with the coming of the Special anti-cultism squad, cult activities and violent crimes would be a thing of the past in the state.
He warned them against boasting as members of the Squad to oppress innocent members of the public.
Eke explained that the whole essence of the creating the squad is to guarantee the safety of lives and properties of the citizenry in the state.
According to him “You must go out there to fish out people of questionable characters and bring them to book. I don’t want to hear that you are intimidating or harassing innocent people in the name of fighting cultism, or using this to extort money because I will deal ruthlessly with anybody trying to undermine the aim and objective of this organization.”
Stating that the squad is headed by a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Eke added that the State government has promised to support the command in the establishment of the squad so as to rid the state of cult activities and other violent crimes.
However, few months after its establishment, the squad has recorded several successes following the apprehension of no fewer than 100 suspected cult members.
The suspects belonged to secret cults such as Eiye, Aye cult group, AVE SK secret cult, and All Eyes.
Police Commissioner Eke said the suspects who are mostly students of higher institutions of learning include: Azumi Ibrahim, Kole Oshodi, Akinloye Ayodeji, Damilola Akerele, Tope Ajiwole, Adinlewa Lekan Olarenwaju, Ologunmeta Muyiwa, Opeyemi Omifidan and Owoeye Ayanfe.
Others are Sesan Akindeji, Omolade Adegoke, Adewole Kayode, Segun Olajide, Alewi Sunday, John Akintunde, Bayo Akinfemiwa, Oluwatoyin Kola, Ogunjemito Samuel and Olapade Kola.
The suspects he added went to the house of one Akintelure Akinkunowo and Chukwuma Mba and other victims, threatening to kill them if they failed to join them.
“The victims went further to state that the cult groups usually hold their meeting at Iro area of Akure, and Odopetu Street in Ondo town where they engaged themselves in smoking Indian hemp, plan how to commit various crimes, such as rape, robbery, murder and attack their rival groups.
He further stated that the suspects have disposed their victims of valuable properties during their operations.
Confessions of some killings
Exhibits recovered from the suspects, according to the Commissioner, are locally-made pistol and 200 wraps of Indian hemp, while some of them had made confession of some killings that occurred in Akure, the state capital and Ondo town.
He stated that the suspects would be arraigned in court as soon as the police concluded its investigation on their matter.
Eke said the state has not been totally free of the activities of criminally-minded people but due to the unrelenting efforts of the officers and men of the command, the suspects were arrested.
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