The Osun State Police Command has arrested six suspected cultists during intelligence-led raids on identified criminal hideouts in Osogbo, the state capital.
The arrests were carried out on October 8, 2026, by operatives of the Osogbo Area Command as part of efforts to tackle cultism and other criminal activities across the state.
The command’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, disclosed the development on Wednesday in a statement issued on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Zungura.
The suspects were identified as Atilola Idris, 22; Shobowale Abeeb, 31; Jimoh Nasiru, 32; Tajudeen Jamiu, 26; Okanlawon Tajudeen, 27; and Abolubode Toheeb, 18.
According to the police, the arrests followed intelligence gathering targeting vulnerable locations and known criminal black spots in Osogbo.
“The arrests were carried out by operatives of the Osogbo Area Command at identified vulnerable locations and black spots as part of efforts to curb cultism and other criminal activities in the state,” the statement said.
The command also disclosed that one of the suspects, identified in the statement as Tajudeen Okanlawon, reportedly confessed to being initiated into the Aye confraternity cult group in 2023.
The suspect allegedly named a person identified as the late Lekan Lexy as the individual who initiated him into the group.
He further claimed that Lekan Lexy was killed by members of a rival cult group during activities surrounding the recently concluded Osun State governorship election. The claim has not been independently verified.
The police confirmed that the six suspects had been charged before a court of competent jurisdiction, although details of the charges were not disclosed.
The command said investigations and enforcement operations would continue to identify and apprehend other individuals allegedly involved in cultism and related offences.
It also reaffirmed its commitment to intensifying intelligence gathering and tactical operations against cultism, drug-related offences and other criminal activities across Osun State.
The allegations against the suspects remain subject to judicial proceedings, and their guilt will be determined by the court.
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