No fewer than 150 robbery and cultism suspects were paraded on Sunday by the Ogun state Police Command for allegedly terrorising some parts of Ifo and Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Areas of the state.
Daily Trust reports that residents of Owode, Ilepa, Arigbajo, Itori, Dalemo, Ijoko Joju, Sango – Ota, among other communities in Ifo and Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Areas of the state, have reportedly experienced robbery attacks between Thursday evening and Saturday.
It was learnt that men of the underworld numbering about 15, stormed the area, attacked residents and carted away their valuables.
The state’s Commissioner of Police, Kenneth Ebrimson on Sunday conducted journalists round the troubled areas after he paraded 150 suspects arrested in most of the affected communities.
Addressing newsmen during the parade at Ifo Divisional Police headquarters, Ebrimson denied report of alleged armed robbery in the two LGs, saying it was a case of supremacy battle among groups of cultists following murder of a member.
He said the unrest was caused by seven cult groups, namely: Ilena boys, Federal boys, Lemon boys, Base boys, Sahara boys, Gbese boys and Marindoti boys.
Ebrimson said upon getting information about the clashes, the command swung into action and made some arrests.
According to him, eight locally made guns, 52 live catridges, eight knives, 12 handsets, two scissors, large quantity of weeds, several cutlasses, one axe and one saw were recovered from the suspects.
“Up till now, no single report of robbery attack; no attack on anybody. No case of kidnapping has so far been recorded. It is very important we know the issue at stake. The major issue we are contending with is that of cult supremacy battle that emanated from the killing of one of their members in Ifo here,” the CP said.
Meanwhile, the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, has vowed to deal ruthlessly with criminals in the state.
Abiodun, in a statement signed by Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin, said: “It has become expedient that we do not spare the rod and spoil the child. Anybody, no matter whose child he or she is, if found guilty of armed robbery, would be visited with the full weight of the law, including capital punishment.”
He commended the State Police Command for its swiftness and prompt adherence to directive of the State Government to flush out those turning the sit-at-home order to a criminal enterprise.
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