By Duchess Ifeoluwa
Ondo State Police Command has arrested a suspected cult leader linked to a murder case and other violent cult-related activities in the state.
The suspect, Akinwale Tomiwa, popularly known as “Bella,” was apprehended by operatives of the Command’s Special Anti-Cultism Squad in Akure following credible intelligence.
Police authorities alleged that Tomiwa is the leader of the notorious Eiye Confraternity operating within Rufus Giwa Polytechnic in Owo and its surrounding communities.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abayomi Jimoh, operatives of the squad received actionable intelligence that the suspect had been sighted around NEPA Junction in Akure.
Acting swiftly on the information, security operatives mobilised to the location and successfully apprehended him without incident.
Preliminary investigation by the police linked the suspect to the killing of one Ojo Peter, which occurred on December 12, 2025, in Owo.
The incident had earlier generated concern among residents and was suspected to be connected to cult rivalry in the area.
Further intelligence gathered by the police also indicated that the suspect was recently featured on a cult-related social media platform known as Naija Confra for allegedly participating in an attack on suspected members of the Aiye Confraternity along Fasawe Street in Owo.
The attack was reportedly part of an ongoing supremacy battle between rival cult groups operating within the community.
Police said a search conducted on the suspect at the time of his arrest led to the recovery of several items believed to be criminal charms allegedly used for protection and intimidation during cult operations.
The suspect has since been arraigned in court on a six-count charge bordering on murder and other related offences, while the police said efforts were ongoing to identify and arrest other members of the syndicate linked to him.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Adebowale Lawal, reiterated the Command’s determination to clamp down on cultism and other violent crimes threatening peace and security in communities across the state.
He assured residents that the police would continue to intensify intelligence-driven operations aimed at dismantling criminal networks and bringing perpetrators of crime to justice.
