(Police Command. Photo Credit: Premuim Times News)
Operatives attached to the Oyo State Police Command have arrested two suspected members of a notorious confraternity and recovered a firearm during a targeted operation in Oyo Town.
The suspects, identified as Oparemi Kabiru, popularly known as “Ikebe,” and Fasasi Taofeek, alias “Bufalo,” were apprehended on Wednesday at their hideout in the Oke-Apo area of the town.
Officers attached to the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), Oyo Base, carried out the operation based on credible intelligence linking the suspects to activities threatening public peace and security in the area.
Police spokesperson, CSP Ayanlade Olayinka, said a locally made pistol along with two live cartridges were recovered during the raid.
According to him, the suspects confessed during questioning to being members of a cult group and admitted involvement in a series of violent crimes within Oyo Town and surrounding communities.
Olayinka said the Commissioner of Police, CP Abimbola Olugbenga, credited the success of the operation to intelligence-led policing and the cooperation of residents who supplied useful information.
He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property across the state, stressing that criminal elements would find no hiding place in Oyo.
The police commissioner also encouraged members of the public to support security agencies by embracing the “See Something, Say Something” initiative.
He noted that prompt reporting of suspicious activities allows for proactive security responses, assuring residents that any information shared with the police would be handled with full confidentiality and professionalism.
The statement noted that the Oyo State Police Command had recorded another significant breakthrough in its ongoing efforts to tackle cultism, violent crime, and other criminal activities across the state.
It explained that on June 17, 2026, operatives from the Command’s VCRU, Oyo Base, acting on credible intelligence, apprehended the two suspected cult members at their hideout in Oke-Apo, Oyo Town.
The arrests followed intelligence suggesting that the suspects and their associates had been engaged in activities posing a threat to peace and security within the town and its surrounding areas.
A search carried out on the suspects led to the recovery of one locally made pistol and two live cartridges.
During preliminary questioning, the suspects admitted to being members of the cult group and confessed to involvement in several violent criminal acts within Oyo Town and nearby communities.
The statement described the operation as evidence of the effectiveness of intelligence-led policing, as well as the important role played by members of the public in providing actionable information to help combat crime.
It noted that the arrests were made possible through credible intelligence, further highlighting the value of continued cooperation between the police and the communities they serve.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Abimbola Olugbenga, reassured residents of the command’s unwavering commitment to protecting lives and property, and to ensuring that criminal elements have no safe haven anywhere in the state.
He stressed that security is a shared responsibility and called on residents to remain vigilant and actively support law enforcement by providing timely, accurate and credible information.
He further urged the public to embrace the “See Something, Say Something” principle, noting that prompt reporting of suspicious individuals, movements and activities enables proactive police intervention and helps prevent crimes before they occur.
He assured citizens that all information received would be treated with strict confidentiality and professionalism.
The statement added that the Oyo State Police Command remains fully prepared, strategically positioned, and operationally equipped to respond swiftly to security threats across the state, and encouraged residents to continue partnering with the police to help build safer communities and sustain the peace currently enjoyed in Oyo State.
It concluded by reaffirming the command’s resolve to rid the state of cultism, armed violence, and all forms of criminality.