116 suspected "Aye" cult members were detained over the weekend by Ogun State Police Command officers in the state's Ifo region.
The command's Anti-Cultism Squad detained the cultists, numbering 46 girls and 70 male members of the Aye Confraternity, at a motel on Ibogun Road.
They were apprehended at around 01:42 in the morning.
In a statement, the command claimed that the police obtained a security report on the local cultists' activities and that they would be conducting their initiation and anniversary rituals very soon.
The Anti-Cultism Squad was dispatched to the area in response to the report, which resulted in the arrest of the suspects.
Four axes, seven cutlasses, banners, anniversary invitation cards, illegal substances, and cannabis were among the items retrieved from them.
The statement said: “Today (26/08/23) at about 0105hrs, based on intelligence received on the celebration of the 20th anniversary of Neo Black Movement, a.k.a Aye Confraternity, Ifo Forum, the Commissioner of Police directed the Tactical Unit and men from Ota Area Command to the scene.
“Surveillance was mounted and over 300 cult members were sighted. These included female invitees gathered for the celebration to mark Aye Day in Ogun State.
“On sighting the team of policemen who had already cordoned off the scene, they fled in different directions and 116 suspects were arrested, including 70 males and 46 females.
“Exhibits recovered from the scene during operation include four axes, representing the symbol of their confraternity, weeds suspected to be Indian hemp, cultist anniversary banner among other recoveries.”
The suspects are now being questioned after they were taken to the Eleweran police command headquarters.
Cultists and other criminal elements should keep away from the state, the State Police Commissioner, Abiodun Alamutu, said.
He added that all formations in the state have the responsibility to comb through all dark corners to clear the state of criminals and that the police leadership under him will not accept any criminal activity under any kind of deception.
