The Ogun State Police Command has arrested 14 suspected cultists in Ipara-Remo area of the state, following a security operation that disrupted a planned cult initiation ceremony.
According to the police, the arrests were carried out in the early hours of Friday after actionable intelligence revealed that suspected members of a cult group were mobilising for an unlawful gathering in the Ipara-Remo, Ode and Isara-Remo axis. Operatives of the command’s Anti-Cultism Unit, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team and officers from nearby divisions were immediately deployed to the area.
During the operation, the police apprehended 13 male suspects and one female at the scene, while several others reportedly fled on sighting security operatives.
Items recovered from the suspects include three locally made pistols, live ammunition, charms, confraternity caps, several mobile phones and vehicles believed to have been used to mobilise members for the initiation.
The Ogun State Police Command said preliminary investigation indicated that the suspects were preparing to induct new members, an activity often linked to violent clashes, intimidation of residents and other criminal acts within communities.
The Commissioner of Police in the state warned that the command would not tolerate cultism or any form of organised criminal activity, noting that such groups pose a serious threat to public peace and safety. He assured residents that sustained patrols and intelligence-led operations would continue across the state to flush out criminal elements.
The suspects are currently in police custody and will be charged to court after the conclusion of investigations. The police also appealed to members of the public to provide timely information on suspicious movements or gatherings in their communities, stressing that cooperation from residents remains crucial to curbing cult-related violence in Ogun State.