Police Say Repentant Cultists Responding To Amnesty Programme In Ogun
Police have said that some members of various cult groups in Ogun State are responding to the amnesty floated for repentant cultists in the state.
Several cultists are now reporting themselves at the state police command headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta, to renounce membership of the various cult groups.
Spokesperson of the command, Omolola Odutola, said some of the cultists were reporting at the command with their parents to renounce membership.
The amnesty programme was floated by the state’s new police commissioner, Abiodun Alamutu, immediately on arrival in the state last month to rid the state of the rampaging cultists terrorizing residents.
Under the programme, repentant cultists are asked to surrender their weapons and renounce membership of their groups, to benefit from the amnesty programme.
The command’s spokesperson said the amnesty window was still open, and asked other cultists to take advantage of the programme.
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However, he said the Command was aware that some people were lured into cultism without knowing the implication, hence the Command has opened a window of amnesty to such people, advising them to renounce their membership of these groups and surrender all arms and ammunition in their custody.
He gave them one month grace period to do so, starting from yesterday, July 11, 2023, as there is going to be a total clamp down on all known and unknown cultists, who are perpetrating heinous crimes in the state.
He stressed that the Command arrested a notorious cultist, Francis Okere, 39, who is a member of Aye cult group in Kemta Road, Abeokuta, on July 6, 2023 and recovered an English long gun and three live cartridges from him.
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He added that the case is currently under investigation, and the suspect would be charged to court as soon as the investigation is completed.
He said: “ The Command also arrested 23-year-old Ogunkoya Olayinka; 33-year-old Awotungase Samson and 20-year-old Abalo Ayomide in Batoro area, Sagamu on July 7, 2023. The police recovered one locally made double barrel gun, one locally made cut to size gun, one live cartridge and charms.
“The suspects further confessed to being members of the Eiye confraternity cult group.
“The police also arrested 72-year-old Adedamola Idowu and 26-year-old Oluwatobi Adebisi in Ijagun, Ijebu-Ode for defilement.
“The duo were said to be having unlawful carnal knowledge of a seven-year-old girl.”
The CP added that on July 9, 2023, 22-year-old Saka Olawale, a member of Aiye cult group was arrested in Ogijo, with an English pistol.
He said the suspect was arrested when he came to disrupt the yearly celebration of Ogijo Ojude Oba 2023.
“The successes we achieved so far would not have been possible without the support of the good people of Ogun State, who are giving us timely and credible information.
“I hereby appeal to them not to relent in their efforts, until palpable peace reigns in the state.
“I wish to appeal to those still nursing misgivings against the police to have a change of perception towards the personnel of the Nigeria Police Force.
“We are ready more than ever to deal decisively with anybody who chooses to take crime as business and we have rolled out every arsenal available to wage war against all criminal minded persons in the state,” he added.
