Police arrest 21 over cultism, kidnapping

Osun State Police Command has arrested 21 youths for alleged involvement in cultism, kidnapping and other crimes.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Wale Olokode, paraded the suspects at the police headquarters in Osogbo, the state capital.

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The CP said the suspects were arrested in Osogbo, Ife and Ikire, explaining that some suspects were released when it was clear that they were wrongly picked and that those arrested were cultists and kidnappers.

But some of the suspects said they were not cultists and that they were raided at a joint where they were drinking and having fun.

One of the suspects, Hammed Muhammed, who was arrested with a single barrel gun with three live cartridges told Daily Trust that he came to Osun from the North with his gang to kidnap people and get ransom.

Three among the suspects confirmed that they joined Buccaneer cult group to be able to win student union government elections in their school.

One of the suspects, Akintunde Moses, told Daily Trust that when he was contesting for the position of SUG President at the Lagos State University, he joined the cult group so as to win the election.

CP Olokode said the suspects would be arraigned in court and warned that police would soon begin to arrest parents of any youth that commits a crime. He said parents of suspects would be prosecuted along with their children subsequently.

“Parents are by this directive warned to admonish their children and wards to desist from criminal acts; otherwise they may be charged along for shielding the criminals,” Olokode said.