The Oyo State Police Command has arrested 11 students of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho over an alleged cult-related plot, recovering firearms and other dangerous items during the operation.

The Commissioner of Police in Oyo State disclosed that the suspects were apprehended following credible intelligence indicating that members of rival cult groups were planning coordinated attacks within the university community and its surrounding areas.

According to the police, operatives from the Command’s Anti-Cultism Unit swiftly launched a targeted operation, leading to the arrest of the suspects at different locations around the institution.

Items recovered during the operation include two locally made pistols, several live cartridges, suspected cult insignia, charms, and other incriminating materials believed to have been used in cult-related activities.

The Police Command stated that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects allegedly belonged to rival secret cult groups and were mobilising for violent confrontations before security operatives foiled the plan.

The Commissioner of Police reiterated the Command’s commitment to combating cultism, armed violence, and other criminal activities across the state, warning individuals involved in unlawful associations to desist or face the full weight of the law.

He also assured parents, students, and residents that adequate security measures have been put in place to maintain peace within the university environment and across Oyo State.

The suspects are currently in police custody and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations. Meanwhile, the Command said efforts are ongoing to apprehend other fleeing members connected to the alleged cult network.