Ilorin, July 10, 2018 (AltAfrica)-The Kwara State Police command Tuesday said it had arrested the Vice President of the Federal Polytechnic Offa Students’ Union Government, Tajudeen Selim for alleged involvement in cultism

Two other Offa poly students – Temitope  Omotosho, Adewusi Vincent, an ex-student of Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, Olanipekun Abimbola, and another suspect, Ayomide Ololade, were also arrested for the same offence

While parading the suspects in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Ajayi Okasanmi said  despite the alarm the police raised on the plans by cults to mark the cultism day on Saturday, the suspects ignored the warning and were initiating new members of the Eiye Confraternity when the police apprehended them.

He said, “These cultists from the Federal Polytechnic Offa blatantly refused to heed our warning and were rounded up by the Anti-Cultism Unit of the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department, during the process of initiating new members in preparation for an attack.”

The PPRO identified the new initiates as Akinsebikan George and Gbolahan Ogunleye, adding that the red and white regalia of Eiye Confraternity, razor blade, calabash and one live cartridge were recovered from the suspects.

But Selim, who is a final year student in the Department of Quantity  Surveying, said he was not a cultist, claiming that he had gone to settle some problems among the arrested suspects when the police nabbed him too.

He said, “Someone came here to accuse us that we are cultists. Since I became the Vice President of the Offa Polytechnic Students’ Union Government, I have not recorded any cult clash. I have always been there to settle any problem that could  arise. If there is any fracas in the school, the Students’ Union Government would direct me to intervene. That is the reason why I was there.

“I was there the day they arrested the suspected cultists on behalf of the union so that there will be peace on our campus.”

Mr Ajayi Okasanmi also said the police arrested some suspected armed robbers who allegedly confessed to have been armed by a former governor of Kogi State.

He said sequel to reports of robberies received from some fuel stations in Ilorin and its environs, the members of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team in collaboration with the federal and state Anti-Robbery Squads of the command, arrested one James Obaje, aged 34.

According him,  Obaje who is  a native of Dekina in the Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, confessed to being the leader of a gang of armed robbers and also a lieutenant of  Zakari Yau, a political thug in Kogi State presently in police custody.

He added that Obaje’s confession led to the arrest of other members of his gang who had attacked many fuel stations in Kaduna, Kogi and Kwara state, as well as Abuja.

He listed other suspects to include  Nelson Yakubu,  Ibrahim Mutari, and  Gboyega Olaoye.

He said, “All suspects are from Kogi State, but resides in Ilorin, except Gbenga Olaoye, who is from Ekiti LGA of Kwara State. Exhibits recovered from the suspects include three AK-47 riffles, one K2 riffle, one pump action riffle, 311 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, 286 rounds of 5.56mm live ammunition, one Blue Mazda 626 with number plate,  KEY 627 DS, and many vehicle plate numbers

“The suspects further confessed to the robbery attack on Orange Fuel Station in Ilorin on May 15, 2018. Efforts are ongoing to arrest the remaining members of the gang.”

The PPRO said the suspects would be charged to court.