KWARA state police command has arrested 13 suspected members of a dreaded cult group, Badoo, including two middle-aged women, in the Ilorin metropolis at the weekend for breach of public peace.
Tribune Online gathered that the arrest was effected following a reported clash between some people suspected to be members of the Badoo Confraternity and local vigilance group at a ceremony held at Oke Jagun, in the state capital a few days ago.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ajayi Okasanmi, who confirmed the arrest said that the suspects would be charged to court this week.
The police spokesperson, who said that suspected leader of the group was at large, added that the suspects were mostly indigenes of Ilorin and students.
It was also gathered that the suspects were arrested at various locations in Adeta, Oloje, Pakata, Omoda, Ita Kudimo, Alfa Yahaya, Ita-Amo and Isale Jagun where the clashes actually took place.
Suspected cultists had last week clashed with members of the vigilance group during a ceremony at Isale Jagun, area, Okelele in Ilorin East local government area, where the cultists had reportedly organized a prayer programme and hired the vigilante men to keep watch during the event.
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But a member of the vigilante group in the area claimed that they were on a peace mission to settle the fight among the boys when they came under attack.
“The event started well but it got to a point when no one could understand the message being passed by those boys among themselves. They all wore white T-shirts with Badoo inscribed on it”, a source in the area said, pleading not to be identified in public adding that efforts by the vigilante men to unravel what was happening was met by an attack from the cult members.
“To disperse the crowd, the Badoo boys shot sporadically into the air and just as the vigilante men were trying to calm the situation, the boys shot at the security men. However, to the surprise of everyone, the vigilante kept deflecting the bullets by brushing it down.”
The development attracted men of the Adewole Police Division and other security agents who came and arrested the suspects. They were said to have been immediately transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligent Department, Police headquarters.
A policed source said during interrogation, the suspects allegedly confessed to be members of the Badoo confraternity and gave the identity of their leader in the state who is currently at large, as well as how to get him.
However, Okasanmi has expressed concern that residents of the Isale Jagun did not make formal complaint on the existence of members of the confraternity in the community until the ugly incident.
“It was when the situation got out of control that they called the attention of the police to arrest the situation.
“Our patrol team swung into action and made some arrests on the fateful day and many more arrests are being made in connection with the matter. Based on the strength of information we got, the suspects wore T-shirts with Badoo inscription.
“We have heard and seen what members of the confraternity did in the Lagos incident; Badoo boys attack. We don’t want such horrible attack in our state. The police will do everything to chase them out of the state.”
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