By Bukola Olamona
A suspected cult leader has been arrested by the Ondo State Police Command during a raid on a secret meeting in Akungba-Akoko, headquarters of Akoko South-West Local Government Area of the state.
The police said the operation followed intelligence received from a resident who reported suspicious activities at A.U.D. Secondary School, Akungba, where a group of young men was allegedly holding a cult gathering.
Spokesperson of the Command, DSP Olushola Ayanlade, in a statement issued and made available to The Hope Metro, said officers were immediately deployed to the area around 1:00 p.m. on October 15, 2025.
Upon arrival, the suspects reportedly took to their heels, but one of them, identified as Abdul Boluwatife, was chased and apprehended by the police.
Ayanlade explained that the suspect confessed during interrogation to being the leader of a cult group operating within Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA).
He added that the suspect had been under police surveillance for months due to his alleged involvement in a series of violent clashes and cult-related attacks in Akungba and neighbouring communities.
The police spokesperson disclosed that a search conducted after the arrest led to the recovery of one locally made pistol, five cutlasses, a battle axe, a shisha box, two cult berets, five bottles of Squadron gin, a red knife and a black hand glove.
According to him, the suspect is currently in custody while efforts are ongoing to track down other fleeing members of the gang.
The Commissioner of Police, Abayomi Lawal, who commended the operatives for their swift action, stated that the Command would continue to clamp down on cult groups and other criminal networks operating within the state.
Lawal assured residents, especially those in university communities, of sustained security operations aimed at maintaining peace and protecting lives and property.