Police arrest suspected cultists with pistols in Osun

Six suspected cultists have been arrested in Ipetu-Ijesa, Osun State, while travelling to the South-South part of the country.

A reliable security source, who spoke on condition of anonymity with our correspondent on Sunday, said residents that saw the suspects at a motor park contacted the police.

According to him, the suspects were in the process of boarding a vehicle in Ipetu-Ijesa going to Ile Oluji from where they intended to join another one that would take them to Delta State, when some eagle-eyed residents that were suspicious of their movement, informed police operatives from Anti Cultism Unit of the Osun State Police Command.

The source further said arms and ammunition were recovered from the suspects, as the operatives swooped on them before they left the premises of the motor park.

The source said, “At the motor park were many travellers when the suspects came into premises.

“They were said to be heading to a town in Delta State, but we can’t say where they were coming from. Since they can’t get a direct vehicle to their destination, they needed to board one going towards their route.

“The vehicle they wanted to board was heading to Ile Oluji in Ondo State. People around were suspicious of them, and they informed the police.

“The operatives, not long after receiving the tip off, swooped on them and arrested them within the premises of the motor park. Arms and ammunition were recovered from them by the police.”

Osun State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Yemisi Opalola, who confirmed the development, said the suspects traveling from Ilorin in Kwara State were heading to Delta State when operatives from the command arrested them inside a motor park in Ipetu-Ijesa.

She said, “We received information from Ipetu-Ijesa that some hoodlums suspected to be men of under world were sighted in their motor park.

“A police team moved to the motor park and apprehended the six suspects. Meanwhile, four cut to size locally made pistols with 155 rounds of live 9mm ammunition were recovered from them.

“The suspects confessed to be members of Eiye confraternity from Ilorin town, Kwara State, and were heading to Delta State for cultism operation.”