Police arrest couple, others for cultism, kidnappers in Ekiti

Men of the Ekiti State Police Command have arrested 10 suspected kidnappers and seven others, including a couple, for cult-related crimes and armed robbery.

The suspected kidnappers included one Usman, who was suspected to be one of those who laid siege to an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Segun Ayebule, who was shot dead along Oke Ako Road in September last year.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, who spoke in Ado Ekiti, the state capital on Tuesday while parading the suspects said Usman was arrested inside the forest reserve in Oke Ako in the Ikole Local Government Area of the state.

He said, “During the investigation, it was revealed that the arrested suspect was among the hoodlums that laid siege along Oke Ako/Irele Road on September 3, 2022, where the vehicle conveying one Ayebulu Segun, an NSCDC officer, alongside his siblings, was attacked.

“The officer was shot by the hoodlums and he died on the spot while two other members of his family were kidnapped. Concerted efforts by the command’s operatives later led to the rescue of the two kidnapped victims,” he said.

Abutu said nine other suspected kidnappers were arrested by men of the Rapid Response Squad and as well officers combing the bushes in different locations including in Ado Ekiti, a forest close to Igede Farms and Kajola Forest Reserve.

The police spokesman said a couple, identified as Lateef and Jumoke, were also arrested alongside one Adewoye “for being suspected members of secret cults and sponsoring the clash between the Supreme Eiye Confraternity and Black Axe ‘Aiye’ confraternity in Ado-Ekiti recently.”

He said, “RRS operatives while acting on a tip-off, arrested the couple and one other. During interrogation, the suspects confessed to being drug barons as well.

“In a bid to curb the clash between the rival secret cult groups, Black Axe Aiye and Supreme Eiye Confraternity, the command’s operatives, through intelligence gathering, also arrested one Malik, a suspected member of a secret cult group.

“Upon the arrest of the suspect, two locally made pistols and two live cartridges were found in his possession. During the investigation, the suspect confessed to being a member of one of the secret cult groups and mentioned the names of other members at large. The effort to arrest other fleeing members is in progress.”