—Notorious cultist confesses

— Insecurity worries Adeleke

By Michael Ofulue Osogbo

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Insecurity in Nigeria, and by extension Osun State, has taken a worrisome and alarming dimension and it is affecting every facet of life. People now hardly sleep with their two eyes closed as insecurity in its various forms actively ravages the land.

Osun State that was once adjudged to be one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria is struggling in the throes of insecurity, gasping for breath.

Of course, the security situation of the state has been called into question, going by the incessant rate of kidnapping, political unrest, armed robbery, cultism, hooliganism among other pockets of crime and criminality.

The Osun State Police command at the weekend arrested a notorious cultist identified as Rasheed Oko-Ilu’s Associate, K-Federal Published who has confessed to the killing of over 20 innocent citizens of the state.

K-Federal was nabbed on Friday May 12, 2023 by detectives from the Anti-Cultism Unit of Osun State police command, who acted on a tip off.

Confirming his arrest to newsmen in Osogbo through a statement, the Command’s spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, said the suspect had earlier been declared wanted by the police for murder and cult-related activities.

She explained that the suspect was a known member of the Rasheed Hammed-led (Oko-Ilu) gang, related to Eiye Confraternity who have been terrorizing and unleashing mayhem on innocent people of the state.

According to Opalola, the suspect was arrested around the Alusekere area, Ede, by detectives from the Special Anti-Cultism unit following a credible intelligence information.

Opalola further disclosed that Wahab confessed to killing twenty persons in Ede town and dumping their corpses in the Osun River, adding that he would be charged to court after completion of investigation.

She said: “On May 7, 2023 at about 1400hrs, upon a tip-off, one Saheed Wasiu ‘m’ popularly known as K-Federal, one of the deadly and notorious members of Rasheed Oko-Ilu led gang was around Alusekere area, Ede, Osun State, Police detective from Special Anti-cultism unit swung into action and arrested the suspect.

“During the interrogation, he confessed to being a member of the Eiye confraternity led by one Rasheed Hammed, a.k.a Oko-Ilu who has been arrested and remanded at correctional custody some time ago.

“Suspect confessed to having participated in the killing of twenty innocent citizens of Ede town and dropped their corpses at Osun River, Sagba area, Ede. Among the victims they have killed are Wale, Jamiu, Ganiyu, Azeez and Eyimba and others.”

In less than one month, no fewer than 10 cases of kidnapping, cult related killings and other heinous crimes and criminality have been recorded in the state.

On Saturday April 15, 2023, a couple whose names could not be ascertained were kidnapped by gunmen while returning from night church vigil.

The couple were abducted along Osogbo/Iragbiji road while traveling on a motorcycle when they suddenly ran into the hoodlums who barricaded the road with logs of wood.

A resident of Kelebe, a community located along Osogbo/Iragbiji Road, who identified himself as Sanya, told our correspondent that the couple were abducted around 4 am on Saturday by gunmen, who took them to an undisclosed destination in the forest.

Similarly on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, some suspected gunmen, whose number could not be ascertained, invaded Ago Igbira, a Fulani settlement in Ila, Ila-Orangun local government area of Osun, kidnapping one resident.

Reports said the gunmen suspected to be Fulani maruders succeeded in abducting one Muhammad Jubril (30) to an unknown destination while one Hassan Jubril was injured during a gun battle between the hoodlums and vigilante operatives who responded after receiving information.

On April 3, some unknown gunmen suspected to be kidnappers also invaded  the residence of Oba Ogboni Agbaye, Oba Abdul Adetoyese Olakisan, at Imesi-ile, Obokun local government area of Osun State, where they reportedly abducted his two wives and took them to an unknown destination.

Our correspondent learnt that Oba Olakisan, his daughter in-law and the Divisional Police Officer, who trailed the hoodlums to their hideout while on their way back home after their fruitless search, had a lone accident and died on the spot.

On Friday March 31, four passengers including the driver were reportedly kidnapped by some gunmen who hijacked a Mazda car on Ikirun/ Osogbo expressway.

It was learnt that the victims were coming from Iragbiji, navigating towards Osogbo before they were accosted by the suspects. During the process, the driver of the vehicle escaped from the kidnappers while the remaining three people were taken to an unknown destination.

On March 17, 2023, some unknown gunmen suspected to be assassins invaded Okutu-Ope community, Ilesa and killed a traditional chief identified as Gbenga Okotore.

The unfortunate incident reportedly threw residents of the community into mourning as the attackers shot Okotore at a close range and also shot sporadically into the air to scare people away.

Speaking with our correspondent, a resident of the town who gave his name as Adebiyi said that the deceased might have been trailed to the spot where he was murdered.

 He explained that they heard the sound of gunshots when the incident happened but could not move closer to the place for fear of being killed.

Also On February 17, a middle-aged man, Ebenezer Alaro was killed by hoodlums suspected to be political thugs.

Alaro was said to have been killed in front of his father’s house at Aromire street in Ilesa.

The deceased, according to reports, was traced home and shot dead after he participated in the early morning rally organised by the Speaker of Osun state House of Assembly, Timothy Owoeye to shore up support for the candidates of APC in the last election

After his death ,the Osun APC acting chairman, Sooko Tajudeen Lawal, issued a statement fingering the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) thugs to have masterminded the killing.

Recently, the Osun State Police Command arrested 25 suspected members of secret cults for attacking residents of Ile-Ife.

They were nabbed at Ile-Ife on Monday March 10, when the cultists went on rampage, vandalised valuable property and injured scores of people but prompt intervention of security agents led to the arrest of about 25 of them and were detained at the Police headquarters in Osogbo, the state capital for investigation.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Yemisi Opalola who confirmed the arrest said they were members of Eiye Secret Confraternity, adding that some denied being involved in any secret cult.

During interrogation, one of the suspects, Afolabi said he was forced to join a cult group in the year 2020. His words ” I was invited to join Eiye Secret Confraternity but I declined. They forced me to join the cult group. I left Ile-Ife since then and I just came back five days ago, “Afolabi ” stated

In his confessional statement one , Olajide said he joined the Eiye Secret Confraternity in 2021 and that he had never harmed anyone since then. “I joined Eiye in 2021 and since then, I have never done any bad thing. I’m not a bad person. I don’t do bad things,”he explained

Disturbed by the rising spate of crime in the state, Governor Ademola Adeleke, on April 18, 2023, summoned an emergency meeting of the state security council to review ongoing operations designed to checkmate criminal activities in the state.

Ahead of the meeting, the Governor ordered regular patrols by combined team of security personnel to stem the recent upsurge in robbery attacks and kidnappings and reinforce the successes currently being recorded by the Nigerian Armed Forces.

His words: ” I commend our security agencies for recent successes, we must now redouble our efforts to stop the activities of men of the underworld. We are to review current operations and launch statewide patrols.

“We must sustain current synergy among the agencies. Hence, the police, the DSS, the Civil Defence, the Amotekun Corps and others must intensify joint operations. Criminals infiltrators into our dear state and their sponsors must be flushed out as recent upsurge appears to be unusual.

The Governor used the meeting to commiserate with the victims and the families of those killed. He reassured them that his administration was committed to ensuring security of lives and property, adding that since about two weeks ago, top officials  of his government had been detailed to interface with security agencies on anti-crime operations.

“My good people of Osun state, security agencies are re-strategising to stop any further security breaches. Be rest assured that efforts are in top gear to stop criminal infiltrators and bring them and their sponsors to book.

“I however appealed to us to be security conscious. We must all become security whistle-blowers. Report any untoward activities. When you noticed unusual movements and development in your areas, inform security operatives.

“I also plead with residents of the state to be mindful of timing and manner of their movements. For now, it is advisable to avoid late night or early morning travelling. We must secure ourselves as security is everybody’s business”, the organisations in Osun State, The Osun Masterminds, TOM, has alerted the State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke on the rising spate of insecurity.

“Recent kidnapping and robbery incidents are sad reminders that we have done nothing concrete to arrest the worsening situation of insecurity in the State. We must arrest this situation immediately before the State is plunged into unrest.