Kwara state police command at the weekend arrested two middle-aged ladies among the 13 suspects, following a clash between some people suspected to be members of the Badoo Confraternity and Vigilante Group in Ilorin, the state capital.
The police said the suspected leader of the group is now at large while those in custody would be charged to court this week.
The suspects mostly indigenes of Ilorin and mostly students, according to police sources, were arrested at various locations in Adeta, Oloje, Pakata, Omoda, Ita Kudimo, Alfa Yahaya, Ita-Amo and Isale Jagun where the clash actually took place.
It was gathered that the suspected cultists had last week clashed with members of the vigilante group during a ceremony at Isale Jagun area, Okelele in Ilorin East local government area.
The suspected cultists were said to have organised a prayer programme and hired the vigilante men to keep watch during the event.
But a member of the vigilante group in the area claimed that they were on a peace mission to settle the fight among the boys when they came under attack.
“The event started well but it got to a point when no one could understand the message being passed by those boys among themselves. They all wore white T-shirt with Badoo inscribed on it”, a source in the area said, pleading not to be identified in public.
The source added that effort by the vigilante men to unravel what was happening was met by an attack from the cult members.
“To disperse the crowd, the Badoo boys shot sporadically into the air and just as the vigilante men were trying to calm the situation, the boys shot at the security men. However, to the surprise of everyone, the vigilante kept deflecting the bullets by brushing it down.” the source said.
The development attracted men of the Adewole Police Division and other security agents who came and arrested the suspects. They were said to have been immediately transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligent Department of the Police headquarters.
A policed source said during interrogation, the suspects allegedly confessed to be members of the Badoo confraternity and gave identity of their leader in the state who is currently at large, as well as how to get him.
When contacted, spokesman for the Kwara police command, Ajayi Okasanmi, confirmed the arrest and expressed concern that residents of the Isale Jagun did not make formal complaint on the existence of members of the confraternity in the community until the ugly incident.
According to Okasanmi, “It was when the situation got out of control that they called the attention of the police to rescue it.
“Our patrol team swung into action and made some arrests on the fateful day and many more arrests are being made in connection with the matter. Based on the strength of information we got, the suspects wore T-shirt with Badoo inscription.
“We have heard and seen what members of the confraternity did in the Lagos incident; Badoo boys attack. We don’t want such horrible attack in our state. The police will do everything to chase them out of the state.”
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