Cultism: Police arrest 25 in foiled Ondo initiation ceremony

Detectives from the Ondo State Police Command have arrested 25 suspected members of a notorious cult group in the state during their initiation at the weekend.

The suspects were arrested at Uso Community Forest, in the Owo local government area of the state, by the detectives, foiling the initiation ceremony.

The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Abayomi Jimoh, who disclosed this to newsmen said that the breakthrough was recorded in the command’s sustained fight against cultism and violent crime across the state.

Jimoh disclosed that members of the notorious group were apprehended following actionable intelligence received from a concerned citizen.

He explained that men of the command carried out the operation late on Thursday night, through intelligence-led policing, as operatives swiftly mobilised to the location to disrupt the planned initiation.

The suspects, drawn from Ondo, Osun, Lagos, and Edo states, were arrested at the scene, while a Toyota Highlander SUV and an unregistered Daylong motorcycle were recovered during the raid.

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Police authorities disclosed that the suspects are currently in custody and have confessed to their involvement in cult-related activities, and they are expected to be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.

Commending the operatives for their swift response and professionalism, the state Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, reaffirmed the Command’s zero-tolerance stance on cultism and other violent crimes.

He urged youths to shun cult activities, saying
“There is no gain in engaging in such acts; they only lead to grave consequences.”

He reassured the public of the Command’s unwavering commitment to maintaining peace and security across the state, while encouraging the public to continue providing credible information to aid crime prevention.