By: Lauretta Fagbohun, Abeokuta.
The Ogun State Police Command has foiled a suspected cult initiation ceremony in the Ibogun Shomi area of Ifo Local Government Area, arresting 17 suspected cult members and recovering a locally fabricated shotgun and an axe.
The command’s spokesperson, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday, saying the operation was carried out following credible intelligence about the planned initiation.
According to him, a combined team of anti-robbery, surveillance and patrol operatives stormed the location at about 2:40 a.m. on Friday, July 31, 2026, leading to the arrest of the suspects before the initiation could take place.
The suspects were identified as Daniel Chigozie, 18; Oyewole Basit, 20; Samuel Olusegun, 20; Ifadire Olamilekan, 20; Bello David, 21; William Michael, 21; Adams Yusuf, 21; Ridwan Odukoya, 22; Olsesi Abayomi, 23; Seyi Ridwan, 24; Ayankunle Isaiah, 24; Oluyemi Michael, 25; Hussain Samuel, 26; Temitope Adesoji, 28; Achika Waliu, 28; Ashipa Sodiq, 30; and Kolade Oluwaseun, 30.
Babaseyi said the recovered firearm and axe had been taken into custody, adding that the suspects and exhibits would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation and possible prosecution.
In a separate operation, operatives of the Owode Division, working alongside members of the local vigilante group, arrested one Abubakar Umaru for allegedly stealing a Bajaj motorcycle.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect and an accomplice, who remains at large, allegedly used a master key to steal the motorcycle while it was parked in front of the Central Mosque in Ajilete Yewa. The stolen motorcycle has since been recovered, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspect.
Similarly, the Obantoko Division arrested one Ibrahim Aliyu following an anonymous tip-off that an intruder had been caught vandalising and stealing equipment within Goshen Estate, Obantoko.
Police officers who responded to the report recovered one industrial air-conditioning unit and two dismantled generator sets allegedly stolen by the suspect. The command said investigations were ongoing to determine his involvement and possible links to other burglary and vandalism cases across the state.
