No fewer than 25 suspected cultists from Ondo, Osun, Lagos and Edo states have been arrested in Uso community, Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State, during an initiation ceremony for new members.
A police source in Akure confirmed that the suspects are currently in custody and have reportedly confessed to their involvement in cult-related activities.
The arrests were said to be part of the ongoing crackdown on cultism across the state.
Security operatives reportedly acted on credible intelligence provided by a concerned resident, which indicated that members of the Neo Black Movement (NBM) were planning to initiate new members in Uso.
Acting swiftly, operatives of the Ondo State Police Command were mobilised and deployed using intelligence-led strategies to disrupt the planned initiation.
According to the source, the operation “resulted in the arrest of twenty-five suspects drawn from Ondo State, Osun State, Lagos State and Edo State at the scene of the initiation.”
During the operation, police also recovered one Toyota Highlander SUV and one unregistered Daylong motorcycle from the suspects.
Confirming the development, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Jimoh Abayomi, said the command would not relent in its sustained fight against cultism.
He stated that the command would continue to provide operational guidance and deploy resources to strengthen its anti-cultism operations across the state.
Abayomi added that the suspects would be charged to court after the conclusion of investigations.
He advised youths to stay away from cult-related activities, stressing that there is no benefit in engaging in such acts, as they often lead to severe consequences.
The police spokesperson further reassured residents of the command’s commitment to maintaining peace and security in the state, urging members of the public to continue providing credible and actionable information to aid crime prevention efforts.
