The Oyo State Police Command has foiled a suspected secret cult gathering in Oyo town, arresting three individuals during a swift, intelligence-driven operation carried out by operatives of the Atiba Police Division.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Ayanlade Olayinka, who said the arrests were the outcome of proactive and sustained intelligence-led policing. According to him, the operation was anchored on continuous surveillance, community-based intelligence gathering, and strategic analysis of emerging security threats within the state.
SP Olayinka explained that acting on credible intelligence reports, police operatives led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Atiba Division stormed the premises of Bode Thomas Secondary School, Oyo, where a large group of individuals suspected to be cult members had reportedly converged. He said the group, numbering about thirty, was dressed predominantly in black, a development that further heightened suspicion.
“Upon sighting the police team, the suspects took to their heels, fleeing in different directions into nearby bushes,” the police spokesman said. “However, in the course of the operation, three suspects—Jelili Taiwo Kazeem, Toheeb Adediran, and Ayomide Taiwo—were apprehended at the scene.”
Further investigation, according to the Command, revealed that one of the arrested suspects, Toheeb Adediran, is a commercial motorcycle (okada) rider who allegedly conveyed some of the suspected cult members to the location of the meeting. His motorcycle was subsequently recovered and taken to the police station as part of exhibits for ongoing investigations.
SP Olayinka added that during interrogation, the suspects confessed to being members of the Aiye Confraternity, a notorious cult group. They reportedly disclosed that the gathering was organised to celebrate the birthday of one of their members. He noted that the other two suspects equally admitted their involvement in the cult and voluntarily provided details of their respective roles within the group, offering investigators valuable leads.
A thorough search of the surrounding area, he said, led to the recovery of one motorcycle, one axe, and one black cap, all believed to be linked to the activities of the fleeing suspects and the disrupted meeting.
Reaffirming the Command’s commitment to public safety, the police spokesman said the Oyo State Police Command would continue to intensify intelligence-driven operations, targeted patrols, and strategic enforcement actions across the state to sustain the current security gains and deter criminal elements.
He also appealed to parents and guardians to take greater responsibility for the moral upbringing of their wards by engaging them constructively and discouraging them from cultism, criminal gangs, and other unlawful associations. According to him, involvement in such activities carries grave legal, social, and personal consequences that could permanently derail the future of young people.
The suspects, he said, remain in police custody and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
