The Kwara State Police Command has arrested eight suspected cultists and recovered firearms and other dangerous weapons during a series of coordinated operations across Ilorin, the state capital.
The arrests come days after a deadly cult-related shooting near the Post Office area of Ilorin, where gunmen opened fire at a bamboo bar along the railway corridor, killing four people and injuring two others.
Residents had initially reported that as many as six people died in the attack, which was allegedly linked to a violent rivalry between suspected Eiye and Aiye confraternities operating in the area. Police later confirmed four fatalities and announced the arrest of two suspects connected to the incident. In the latest operation, officers of the Anti-Cultism Unit, working alongside other tactical teams, raided a suspected cult hideout in the Akuo and Fagba areas of Ilorin following intelligence reports.
Those arrested include Ismail Sodiq, 35; Ibrahim Saheed, 26; Azeez Olarenwaju, 27; Soliu Ibrahim, 22; and Abdulbasit Abdulkadir, 24. Three women were also apprehended during the operation: Feyikemi Odoje, 28; Ishola Faisat, 23; and Abubakar Zainab, 22.
According to the police, the suspects were arrested based on credible intelligence linking the location to cult-related activities. During the raid, operatives recovered two locally made pistols, one pump-action shotgun, two cut-to-size shotguns, 25 expended cartridges and other weapons believed to have been used in criminal activities.
The command said the operation forms part of ongoing efforts to dismantle cult networks and prevent criminal groups from using the state as a base for violent activities. Investigations are ongoing to determine the specific roles played by each suspect, identify other members of the group and track down accomplices who remain at large.
“The arrests and recoveries underscore the Command’s commitment to denying criminal elements the opportunity to operate, while strengthening ongoing efforts to rid the state of cultism and other forms of violent criminality,” police spokesperson SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi said in a statement.
Commissioner of Police Ojo Adekimi attributed the success of the operation to intelligence-led policing strategies introduced by Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Rilwan Disu. He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to tackling cultism, armed violence and other criminal activities through proactive security operations and collaboration with members of the public.
The latest crackdown comes amid growing concerns over recurring cult-related violence in parts of Ilorin, particularly around the Post Office area, where residents have repeatedly called for stronger security measures following a series of deadly incidents in recent months.