By Adegbaju Temitope
Ondo State Police Command has foiled a planned cult initiation ceremony in Uso, Owo Local Government Area, arresting 25 suspected members of the Neo Black Movement (NBM) in a coordinated intelligence-led operation that also led to the recovery of a vehicle and a motorcycle.
Nigerian Monitor gathered that the arrests were made on Thursday, following credible intelligence received by the Command from a concerned citizen that members of the proscribed cult group were preparing to initiate new recruits in the town.
Acting swiftly on the information, police operatives were said to have been mobilised and deployed to the area, where they disrupted the gathering before the ceremony could take place.
Police sources said the operation culminated in the arrest of 25 suspects drawn from Ondo, Osun, Lagos and Edo states.
A Toyota Highlander SUV and an unregistered Daylong motorcycle were recovered at the scene.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Command, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, in a press release, said the suspects are currently in custody and have reportedly confessed to their involvement in cult-related activities.
He disclosed that they are expected to be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
Commending the operatives for their prompt response and professionalism, the Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, CP Adebowale Lawal, said the arrest underscored the Command’s resolve to clamp down on cultism and other forms of violent crime across the state.
He stressed that the police would not relent in deploying intelligence-led strategies to prevent criminal activities and protect lives and property.
The commissioner also warned youths against involvement in cultism, describing it as a destructive path with severe legal and social consequences.
He reiterated that the Command remained proactive in ensuring a peaceful and crime-free environment in Ondo State and called on residents to continue to support security agencies by providing timely and actionable information to aid crime prevention efforts.
The police boss said the latest operation formed part of a sustained crackdown on cult-related activities in the state, as security agencies intensify surveillance and enforcement to curb the menace and maintain public safety.
