Police arrest 53 cultists in Abeokuta

ABEOKUTA-The Ogun State police command  said on Tuesday  that it has
dislodged  no fewer than 53 student cultists of Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta,while on their way  to the venue of a nocturnal ritual ceremony in Abeokuta.

It was gathered that the state branch of the National Association of Seadogs, popularly called Pyrates’ Confraternity, hinted  the police who  laid an ambush for the suspected student cultists at about 11:30pm last Friday around Lafenwa/Rounda area of the state capital.

Confirming the development, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi said that the police received information that some suspected student cultists were planning to hold a ceremony in a suburb of the state capital.

Adejobi, however said that suspected student cultists ran away on sighting the police patrol team deployed in the area.

“They are not a social club. The police will not allow any anti-social group or organization to operate in the state. If anybody is caught, he would be made to face the full wrawth of the law,” Adejobi said.

However, a  source told our correspondent that the suspected student cultists were however said to have left their vehicles as well as other items and fled in different directions on sighting the police patrol team deployed to apprehend them.

The source said that, some of the items recovered from the fleeing suspected student cultists included coolers filled with already prepared food and assorted drinks meant for the ceremony.

It was gathered that the  student cultists  allegedly who  took off from Obantoko area, few kilometers from FUNAAB were also said to be driving towards the venue of the initiation ceremony in a convoy of about 50 vehicles when the police patrol team accosted them.

Also, the President of NAS in Abeokuta, Mr. Yemi Akintunde warned students not to allow themselves to be deceived into joining any cult group.

Akintunde stressed that the Pyrates’ Confraternity which he described as a humanitarian and charitable organization has since the 1980s ceased to exist on the campuses of higher institutions across the country.

“Anyone interested in joining NAS must have graduated from school and is also required to have participated in and have the certificate of the National Youth Service Corps. The Pyrates’ Confraternity does not exist on the campus of any higher institution in Nigeria,” he said.