The Police in Kwara State have arrested eight persons over accusations of cultism and other criminal activities during an enforcement activity carried out in the area.
The command held that the suspects, Ismail Sodiq 35, Ibrahim Saheed, 26, Azeez Olanrewaju, 27, Soliu Ibrahim, 22, Abdulbasit Abdulkadir, 24, alongside female arrestees, Feyikemi Odoje 28yrs, Ishola Faisat, 23, and Abubakar Zainab 22, were also caught with firearms, ammunition and other dangerous weapons used by the cultists to perpetrate their nefarious acts.
The enforcement, conducted in the Akuo and Fagba areas of Ilorin, led to recovery of two locally fabricated pistols, a pump-action shotgun, two cut-to-size shotguns, 25 expended cartridges and other weapons considered capable of facilitating violent crimes.
The police, in a statement on Friday, described the arrests and recoveries as a significant step in ongoing efforts to curb cultism and dismantle criminal networks operating within the state.
It added that the commenced efforts to determine the specific roles played by each suspect, while also tracking other members of the group who may still be at large.
Meanwhile, speaking on the development, Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, attributed the success of the operation to intelligence-led policing strategies and enhanced collaboration among security personnel.
Ojo mentioned that the command remains committed to combating cultism and other violent crimes through proactive policing and cooperation with members of the public.
The police command urged residents to continue providing useful information that could aid security agencies in preventing crime and maintaining peace across the state.