The Oyo State Police command has arrested 175 suspects for various offences committed within and outside the state
As a result, local rival cults that have been terrorising some communities within Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, would no longer disturb public peace as their leaders have been rounded up.
The State Police Commissioner, Mr Sam Adegbuyi, who made the disclosure, told journalists at the command headquarters Eleyele Ibadan, that the miscreants who were notorious for fatal political and communal clashes, have been on the run for too long despite bounties placed on their heads.
Giving account of other arrests made, he said: “54 armed robbery suspects, three kidnappers, 16 burglars, four cultists, two ritualists, (found with decomposing human skull) and two rapists, were paraded while 94 vehicles have been recovered.
Mr Adegbuyi noted that the doggedness and courage of the special anti-robbery squad and the cooperation of the people, made the feat achievable.
“They terrorised Ibadan metropolis precisely in Idi Aro, Beere, Mapo, idi arere and so on but the police rose to the occasion. In the process, the gang leader of this group popularly known as Ekugbemi {moshood oladokun} was arrested during a gun duel with operatives of the command.”
“After several unsuccessful attempts to arrest him (Moshood) in his criminal hide out in Ibadan, he escaped to Agege and later to a riverine area of Ajah in Lagos where he was arrested.”
Furthermore, he revealed that another gang leader, Adekola Ademola a.k.a ‘Omo Alaja’ was also arrested on a separate man hunt in Ibadan.
For many months, some areas in Ibadan were said to have been under siege from other notorious cults like the ‘one million boys’, ‘Abe Igi boys’ among others.
However, with the latest development, the Police boss assured residents that they would now be able to sleep better.
“With these arrests, peace has returned to Ibadan and environs”.