Operatives of the Special Anti-Cultism Squad of the Ondo State Police Command have arrested 24 persons suspected to be members of the notorious Aiye Confraternity during a planned initiation exercise in Ile-Oluji, Ondo State.
The arrest was disclosed on Wednesday by the Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, in a statement issued to journalists.
According to Jimoh, the suspects were apprehended in Ile-Oluji, the headquarters of Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo Local Government Area, following intelligence reports about the planned cult activities.
He explained that preliminary investigations showed that the suspects, all male, gathered from different parts of Ondo State and neighbouring areas to participate in initiation rites and a secret cult meeting held in a bush within the town.
The police spokesperson added that several items were recovered during the operation, including two caps bearing the insignia of the Aiye Confraternity, substances suspected to be Indian hemp, and multiple mobile phones believed to be connected to ongoing investigations.
Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, Adebowale Lawal, commended the operatives for their swift response and professionalism.
Lawal reaffirmed the command’s zero tolerance for cultism, criminal conspiracy, and other violent crimes capable of threatening public safety and security across the state.
He also urged residents to remain vigilant and continue supporting the police with timely and credible information as efforts intensify to sustain peace and security in Ondo State.
