The Ondo State Police Command has arrested 24 suspected members of the Aiye Confraternity during a planned initiation ceremony and clandestine gathering in Ile-Oluji, Ondo State. The suspects were apprehended on Saturday, May 10, 2026, following an intelligence-driven operation carried out by operatives of the Special Anti-Cultism Squad in Akure.……
The Ondo State Police Command has arrested 24 suspected members of the Aiye Confraternity during a planned initiation ceremony and clandestine gathering in Ile-Oluji, Ondo State.
The suspects were apprehended on Saturday, May 10, 2026, following an intelligence-driven operation carried out by operatives of the Special Anti-Cultism Squad in Akure.
Spokesperson of the command, Abayomi Jimoh,said the operation formed part of the Command’s sustained crackdown on cultism and other violent crimes across the state.
According to him, , preliminary investigations indicate that the suspects, all male, allegedly converged from different parts of Ondo State and beyond to carry out initiation rites and hold a secret meeting in a bush within Ile-Oluji.
The Command said the operation was executed professionally and without incident, averting what it described as a potential threat to public peace and security in the area.
Items recovered from the suspects include two Aiye confraternity crested caps, substances suspected to be Indian hemp, and several mobile phones believed to be relevant to ongoing investigations.
The Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, Adebowale Lawal, commended the operatives for their swift response and professionalism.
He reiterated the Command’s zero tolerance for cultism, criminal conspiracy, and other violent offences, warning those involved in such activities to desist immediately.
Lawal emphasized that the police remain committed to identifying, tracking, and prosecuting individuals engaged in acts capable of undermining public safety and public order.
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