Police arrest suspected cultists over mu*der of Polytechnic student in Osun

The Osun State Police Command has arrested three members of the “Alora SeaLord” confraternity group, popularly known as “Alora,” over the mu*der of a second-year student in the Department of Accounting at the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State.

The identities of the suspects, according to the Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Folasade Odoro, while addressing journalists during a suspect parade in Osogbo on Thursday, are 25-year-old Tanimowo Oladimeji (aka T-Money), 27-year-old Owoseni Afolabi (aka Bulldozer), and 30-year-old Oguntade Rasheed (aka Rosco), all of whom are students of the Federal Polytechnic, Ede.

Odoro said they were arrested at their hideout by operatives of the Police Anti-Cultism Squad.

Upon investigation, she disclosed that it was discovered the suspects had mu*dered one Olugbenga Akintayo in a cult clash around Agbale Grammar School in Ede town.

She added that the investigation also revealed that the gang had earlier invaded the premises of the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, where they attacked some students and staff of the institution.

She said, “On 18th July 2018, at about 11:45 p.m., the above-named notorious hoodlums, suspected to be members of ‘Alora,’ were arrested at their hideouts by Police detectives from the Anti-Cultism Squad.

“During the course of the investigation, it was discovered that on 16th July 2018, the above-named suspects mu*dered one Olugbenga Akintayo, male, of Ife town. Also, on 16th July 2018, at about 10:00 a.m., the above suspects and others now at large invaded the premises of the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, and attacked some students and staff, including the School Public Relations Officer, and blocked the main entrance gate.”

Speaking with journalists, one of the arrested suspects, Owoseni Afolabi, stated that he was lured into cultism against his will by the leader of the gang, whom he identified as one Adeyemi Olatunde (aka Shadow), and his friend Bello Yusuf, both of whom are currently at large.

Afolabi pleaded for forgiveness from the government and promised to turn a new leaf if given another chance.

He said, “I didn’t want to join them; they forced me into it, and this is my first operation with them. I am begging the government to have mercy on me, and I won’t do it again.”

Odoro revealed that the suspects had all confessed to the crime and would be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation.