Etim Ekpimah
The Ogun State Police Command has arrested suspected cultists that were on the police wanted list in the Ijebu-Ode area of the state for killing a sergeant.
It was gathered that the five suspects were arrested on February 22 in their hideout along Molipa, while planning another deadly attack.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the five suspects are Segun Olabiyi (aka Koleje), Musa Atanda (aka Musa sars), Olorunjuedalo Adewale, Olamide Odewole, and Peter Anuoluwapo Akinyemi.
He added that the suspects were arrested following information received by the police at Obalende division in Ijebu Ode, that the hoodlums, said to be members of Aiye confraternity, had gathered in groups at the back of De Prime Hotel in preparation for a deadly attack.
He explained that the DPO of the Obalende division, SP Salami Murphy, mobilized his men and headed to the scene.
He said: “On sighting the policemen, the hoodlums engaged them in a gun battle but they were subdued by the superior firepower of the policemen.
“This led to the arrest of the five suspects as others escaped with bullets injuries.”
A stated that a locally-made gun, two live cartridges, and assorted criminal charms, were recovered at the scene of the gun battle.
According to the PPRO, the suspects had been actively involved in various cult clashes that had claimed many lives, including that of a serving policeman, Sgt Akeem Oseni, attached to Igbeba division.
He added: “Their trademark according to their confession is to cut off the right hand of their victims after killing them.
“They also confessed to have been involved in some robbery operation in Ijebu-Ode and its environs and that one of their prominent leaders simply known as PERTH was killed in one of the robbery operations.”