The Police in Kwara State have arrested 16 suspected cultists belonging to both Aiye and Eiye confraternities while they were planning to carry out a reprisal attack in Ilorin.
The Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Bagega, while parading the suspect at the police headquarters, said they were arrested in Oko’olowo area of Ilorin.
The suspects arrested were identified as Asake Azeez M, Aiye; Ishola Olasanmi M, Aiye; Adeshina Sambo M, Aiye; Oluwaremi Balikis F Aiye; Jimoh Aisha F Aiye; Olarewaju Amina F, Aiye; Titilayo Alabi F, Aiye; Shuiab Moroguru ‘M, Eiye; and Saheed Idris M, Eiye.
Others are, Eniola Babatunde ‘M’ Eiye; Wasiu Sallu ‘M’ Eiye; Abdulganlu Azeez ‘M. Eiye; Lekan Bello ‘M’ Eiye; Abdulrasaq Isah M. Eiye; Tajudeen Eniola “M Eiye; and Jamina Hassan “M. Eiye.
Two cut to size locally made guns, Axe, wraps of weeds suggested to be Indian hemp, Charms, One Bajaj motorcycle, and one Bajaj tricycle were recovered from them, the police boss said
Bagega said, “To ensure maximum performance of the teams, I have to reinvigorated, re-kit and highly motivated the Command’s Anti kidnapping and Anti-cultists teams for effective and efficient services for there to face the challenges of keeping the State sale and secured especially from cultists and kidnappers, this has yielded some positive fruits one of which we are parading today.
“Acting on a highly potent intelligence regarding the plans and near execution of an attack at Oloje/Okoolowa area of Ilorin by some cultists, Immediately dispatched the newly created team of Anti- Cultists in collaboration with vigilante to storm the area, the effort paid off, as sixteen suspected cultists both male and female wielding dangerous weapons including guns, machetes, Axe, charms, wraps of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp and other items to be used the foiled attack were arrested.
“In their voluntary confessional statement, they confessed to be members of both Alye and Eiye confraternity and that they were in Okoolowo on a revenge mission, if not for our effort, they would have unleashed an unmitigated terror on the residents and we all know their trademark, death.”
Bagega said the suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded, adding that the command is still in search of other fleeing members of the groups.
Meanwhile, the police boss said his men also busted an hide-out Moro Local Government Area where criminals are hibernating, adding that search of the location by operatives attached to the Command led to the recovery of six pieces of locally fabricated guns already prepared to be used by the criminals who are presently on the run.
He added that effort is ongoing to arrest the criminals for possible prosecution