Police arrest suspected Sagamu cult leader, 18 others

Abiodun Alamutu, Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu

No fewer than 19 persons suspected to be members of different cult groups have been arrested by the police in Ogun State in connection with the recent cult clashes that left eight persons dead in Sagamu area of the state.

This was contained in a statement made available to journalists by the Police Public Relations Officer in Ogun State, Omolola Odutola, on Monday.

According to the statement, the 19 persons were arrested at different locations in the Sagamu area of the state through the combined effort of various formations of the Police Force.

She said that during the operation, a suspected kingpin of the Eiye Confraternity, Ogunnibi Hammed, who was allegedly responsible for attacks against rival cult groups in the state, was also arrested.

The statement read in part, “On the 24th of September 2023, a successful tactical operation carried out by the Ogun State Police Command led to the arrest of Ogunnibi Hammed, the kingpin of the Eiye Confraternity.

“This notorious cultist has been widely known for his involvement in gruesome attacks against rival cult groups in Ogun State.

“The operation was a result of a combined effort between the Special Weapons and Tactics team, the Anti-Cultism Unit, and the Obalende Division of the Police Force.

“Acting on intercepted information, the operation targeted the suspected cultists who had been causing terror in various areas, including Odogbolu, Sagamu, Ijebu Ode, and Ilishan.

“Among those apprehended were Sodipo Azeez, also known as Bintobo, Ilori Gbenga, Lamina Yusuf, Kolawole Rasaq, Adelaja Otusanya, Adeyemi Soneye, Oseni Toheeb, Thank God Naba, Lekan Qudus, Adelusi Omotayo, Timothy Monday, Ayomide Ishmael, Oboje Jeremiah, Ayoola Oladayo, Jacob Chidi, John Innocent, Ayangbile Victor, and Jacob Sunday.

“All of these individuals have confessed to being active members of different cult groups.”

She noted that the state Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, had ordered the immediate investigation of the individuals arrested while promising that the public would be duly informed of further development on the case.

“The Commissioner of Police is informed about the arrests and has ordered an immediate investigation into the individuals apprehended. As the investigation progresses, the police will provide updates to the public regarding any relevant developments in this case”, Odutola concluded.

PUNCH Metro reported that the Ogun State Police Command, in conjunction with the Vigilante Group of Nigeria, had on September 19, 2023 arrested seven suspected cultists and also recovered firearms, three live cartridges and criminal charms in connection with the cult clashes in Sagamu.

The raid was conducted in response to the cult clash between two rival cult groups known as Aiye and Eiye, resulting in the death of four individuals at Ewu Iya in Sakura area of the state.

Also, operatives of the Department of State Security Services on Wednesday reportedly arrested a member of the Ogun State House of Assembly representing Sagamu Constituency I, Hon. Damilare Mohammed and six others suspected cultists within the lawmaker’s legislative quarters, Abeokuta, the state capital.

Mohammed was alleged to have been providing shelter to the six fleeing suspected cultists who were allegedly fingered in the recent four days of clashes among rival cult groups in Sagamu, which has claimed eight lives.