Police bust secret cult meeting, arrest five in Ondo

The Ondo State Police Command has arrested five suspected cultists in Akungba Akoko following the disruption of a secret gathering in Akoko, in a continued effort to tackle cult-related activities across the state.

Operatives of the Command’s Special Anti-Cultism Squad apprehended the suspects following credible intelligence from the public about suspicious activities at a residential building.

It was gathered that the suspected cultists were holding a clandestine meeting where they were chanting cult-related slogans and engaging in activities that raised serious concerns among residents.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Ondo State, Abayomi Jimoh, who confirmed the arrest of the five suspects, disclosed that the intelligence received about the activities of the cultists prompted a swift response from detectives from the police command.

Jimoh stated that operatives were mobilised to the location in Akungba Akoko, where the building was cordoned off before the suspects were arrested.

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The police spokesperson listed those arrested as Adesuye Dare, Ayeerun Joshua, Ojo Omole, Adu Dele, and Akeju Idowu.

According to him, preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects are members of the Eiye Confraternity, a group widely linked to violent crimes, unlawful gatherings, and threats to public peace and order.

The PPRO confirmed that the suspects are currently in police custody and said they have made useful statements to aid the command in its ongoing investigations into the activities of the cultist group.

He added that detectives from the command are on the trail of other members of the group, with a promise to uncover the broader network of the syndicate and also to prevent any planned criminal activities connected to the cult group.

He emphasised the importance of community collaboration in crime prevention and reiterated the Command’s zero-tolerance stance against cultism and other forms of criminality.

The PPRO also urged youths to steer clear of cult-related activities, warning that the consequences are severe, while assuring that the suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.