By Justus Adetomiwa, Ado-Ekiti
The Ekiti State Police Command has arrested nine suspects in connection with alleged cultism, ritual-related threats and stealing, recovering a locally made firearm, mobile phones, ATM cards, cash and other exhibits.
The command, in a statement issued on Friday by its Police Public Relations Officer, SP Sunday Abutu, said the arrests were recorded in four separate operations between August 24 and 27, 2026.
It said three suspected cultists were arrested after a gang of about 50 hoodlums allegedly invaded Ijadu Community, armed with guns, axes and cutlasses.
According to the police, the incident occurred on August 25 at about 11:30 a.m. following credible information that the hoodlums, allegedly led by one Ojo Ijadu, were planning to attack people at various work sites in the community.
The command said operatives of the Rapid Response Squad were immediately deployed to the area, where the hoodlums allegedly engaged them in a gun duel after sighting the police team.
Three suspects, identified as Emeka Uba, 35; Fatai Adio, 30 and Aanu Omotosho, 28, were arrested during the encounter, while other members of the gang reportedly fled.
Items recovered from the suspects included a locally made single-barrel gun, an axe, an expended cartridge shell, suspected criminal charms and alcoholic dry gin.
The police said preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects allegedly received mobilisation from a man popularly known as “Ojo Onile” or “Ogbongbon”, who is currently at large.
It added that efforts were ongoing to arrest him and other fleeing members of the gang.
In another operation, the command said three students of Ekiti State University were arrested over an alleged ritual-related video call and threats.
The matter was reported on August 24 by a 20-year-old student, who alleged that he received a video call in which three individuals were seen with traditional ritual objects and allegedly making incantations.
The complainant further alleged that he later received threatening messages and a voice note containing references to a purported sacrifice.
Following the report, detectives attached to Iworoko Police Division, working with the EKSU Security Outfit, commenced investigation and arrested Taiwo Adebayo, 20; Ayomide Omojola
, 19; and Fawas Busari, 20, all of Iworoko-Ekiti.
The police said relevant exhibits were recovered during a visit to the scene, adding that the suspects reportedly admitted their involvement but claimed the act was intended as a prank.
Also, two suspected members of a stealing syndicate were arrested within the premises of EKSU during the ongoing examinations.
The suspects, Peter Edwards, 21, of Egor Road, Benin City, and Moses Olusoji, 29, of Osun State, were arrested by police detectives working with the university security outfit at about 5:10 p.m. on August 24.
Five mobile phones, six ATM cards and N26,000 cash were reportedly recovered from them.
The recovered phones included Tecno Camon, iPhone 13, Itel, Tecno and Poco Android phones, while the ATM cards were linked to UBA, Moniepoint, Sterling Bank and Access Bank.
The command said the affected students had been identified and the university authorities notified, while efforts were ongoing to arrest other members of the alleged syndicate.
In a related development, police operatives attached to Ado Central Division arrested a 21-year-old university student, Oluwatobiloba Daniel, over the alleged theft of four iPhones.
The suspect, a 400-level student of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), was arrested on August 27 at about 6:30 p.m. after the police received information that an unidentified man was attempting to sell four suspected stolen iPhones at Fayose Market, Ado-Ekiti.
The four phones, alongside their receipts, were recovered from the suspect.
The police said preliminary investigation showed that Daniel allegedly confessed to stealing the phones from a shop in Oye-Ekiti where he worked as a sales assistant.
He allegedly further confessed to having previously stolen three other phones from the same shop and sold them to unidentified persons.
The command said efforts were ongoing to recover the other stolen phones and apprehend other persons who might be connected with the offence.
The Commissioner of Police, Ekiti State Command, CP Michael Falade, commended the operatives for their prompt response and professionalism.
He also acknowledged the role of members of the public in providing information that had assisted the command in disrupting criminal activities across the state.
Falade urged residents, students and members of the academic community to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious persons, movements and activities to the police or other security agencies.
He assured residents that the command remained committed to tackling cultism, violent crimes, ritual-related offences, theft and other forms of criminality in the state.
The police said investigation into the four cases was ongoing and that the suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigation in accordance with the law.