Police spokesperson SP Omolola Odutola confirmed the arrest in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abeokuta. She said Laja, a member of the Aiye confraternity, had been disguising himself to evade law enforcement before operatives eventually apprehended him.
Gatekeepers News reports that according to Odutola, officers immediately arrested the suspect upon spotting him in his disguised appearance and compelled him to lead them to the group’s hideout. A search of the location resulted in the recovery of a serviceable single-barrel gun believed to have been used in criminal operations.
She said Laja confessed to his involvement in cult-related activities and provided useful information about other members of the group, many of whom are currently on the run. The police command has launched a manhunt to ensure their swift arrest.
“In a significant breakthrough, the Ogun State Police Command has continued to whittle down cult-related activities across the state as a suspected cultist and member of the dreaded Aiye confraternity was apprehended by police operatives in Igbesa,” Odutola said.
She added that the Divisional Police Officer of the Igbesa Division had been commended for the “successful arrest of Sulaiman Laja ‘m’, 24 years, a confessed and notorious Aiye cultist who has been terrorising residents of Igbesa and its environs.”
“The suspect was sighted in a disguised appearance, was arrested and taken to his hideout, where a thorough search led to the recovery of a serviceable single-barrel gun, strongly believed to have been used for criminal activities within the community,” she noted.
Odutola said the suspect and the recovered exhibit will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation and prosecution.
She reaffirmed the command’s commitment to tackling crime, saying it “remains steadfast in its commitment to flushing out criminal elements and restoring peace, safety, and public confidence across all communities in the state.”
