Cult Clashes: Police Set Up Special Operation Squad

ABEOKUTA - The Ogun State Police Command has set up a special operation squad to address cult-related clashes being experienced in different parts of the state in recent times.

The Command in a statement issued by its Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the squad operations would be coordinated by the Assistant Commissioner of Police of the department of operations.

The senior Police officer is saddled with the responsibility of quick response to any cult-related issues and would be operating for 24 hours of the day.

It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari, had on Thursday, given a marching order to the Police to ensure that the renewed cult clashes in the state be tackled headlong.

The state had in the last two weeks been in the news over recent cult violence between two rival groups, Eiye and Aye which had resulted in the killings of no fewer than 15 persons.

The Commissioner of Police in the State, Lanre Bankole, while addressing the squad directed them to fish out members of the groups in any part of the state, and deal with them in accordance with the provision of the law.

The CP who described the activities of the cult groups as unacceptable directed the squad to clamp down on any known member of such groups because the command will not fold her hands, and allowed disgruntled elements to make life meaningful for the law-abiding citizens of the state.

The CP also warned parents and guardians to call their wards to order as the battle against cultists will be vicious in days to come.

He equally warmed cultists in the state to relocate or be ready to face the unimaginable onslaught that is going to be visited on them by the newly created squad and other conventional policemen in the state.

The CP, while assuring law-abiding citizens of their safety, appealed to the general public to inform the police whenever they noticed any strange gathering suspected to be that of cultists in their vicinity with the assurance that such information will be treated with utmost confidentiality.