Osun Police Warn Against Planned Cult-Linked Protest, Investigate Recent Killing

Osun Police Warn Against Planned Cult-Linked Protest, Investigate Recent Killing

The Osun State Police Command has warned against a planned protest allegedly organised by a group identified as the “Congress of Cultists”, which the command said intelligence linked to the Neo-Black Movement (NBM), also known as Black Axe.

The police described the group as “faceless” and warned that anyone attempting to use the proposed protest to cause disorder, threaten lives, destroy property or disrupt public peace would face appropriate action.

In a statement issued on Sunday by the Osun Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, the command said it had received intelligence about the planned gathering and would not allow any group to exploit the situation to engage in criminal activities.

The command said its operatives, in collaboration with other security agencies, would respond decisively and appropriately to any action capable of threatening public safety and security in the state.

The police did not disclose the proposed date, venue or expected number of participants. It also did not announce any arrest specifically linked to the alleged planned protest.

The command instead urged individuals and groups with grievances to use lawful channels of redress, warning against violence, reprisal attacks and self-help.

The warning over the alleged protest is a separate development from the police investigation into a recent killing in Osogbo, although both developments have heightened security concerns in the state.

In the separate incident, Adejuwon Adekunle, popularly known as “Asa”, was shot dead near a recreation centre in the Dele Yes Sir community, Osogbo, in the early hours of September 15.

According to the police, armed men arrived in the area and opened fire, during which Adekunle was shot.

He was rushed to a hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.

The police said preliminary findings suggested that the Osogbo killing might be cult-related, but stressed that the circumstances surrounding the incident had not been fully established.

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The identities and whereabouts of the suspected attackers were not immediately known, and the command said no arrest had been made at the time of its latest update.

Following the killing, the Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Zungura, directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for further investigation.

The police said investigators were working to establish the circumstances surrounding the killing and identify those responsible.

The command has appealed to residents who have credible information about the incident to assist the investigation, assuring them that information provided would be treated confidentially.

The recent Osogbo killing followed another separate violent incident in Ile-Ife, where Accord Party chieftain Olalekan Oyeyemi, popularly known as “Emir Ajagungbade”, was shot dead at the Mayfair Motor Park.

Another corpse was subsequently recovered within the motor park, according to the authorities.

The Ile-Ife incident was reportedly linked to a dispute over leadership of the motor park, and the state government directed security agencies to identify and arrest those responsible.

Governor Ademola Adeleke also ordered the immediate vacation of the affected motor parks by rival groups and announced the reintroduction of a Park Management System as part of measures to restore order.

That incident is being investigated separately from the Osogbo killing and the alleged planned cult-linked protest.

Against this backdrop, the Osun Police Command has continued to urge residents to remain vigilant and avoid activities capable of escalating tensions.

The Commissioner of Police also called on parents, traditional rulers, religious leaders and community leaders to caution young people against joining cult groups or participating in activities that could threaten peace and security.

The command advised residents to report suspicious movements and criminal activities to the nearest police station or other security agencies.

The police further warned suspected cult members and other criminal elements against using recent incidents as an opportunity to carry out reprisal attacks, cult violence or other criminal activities.

While the command has linked the proposed protest to an alleged cult group, it has not publicly established that the planned gathering is connected to the recent killing in Osogbo.

Similarly, the police have described the Osogbo killing only as suspected cult-related, pending the outcome of their investigation.

The distinction is important as security agencies work to establish the facts behind the separate developments.

The alleged protest concerns a warning issued by the police over a proposed gathering, while the Osogbo case concerns an ongoing criminal investigation into the death of Adekunle.

The police have urged residents not to take the law into their own hands and have appealed for cooperation as investigations continue.

For now, the command has not disclosed further details about the organisers of the alleged protest or confirmed whether the gathering will proceed.

It has, however, made clear that any gathering or activity that results in violence, destruction of property or a threat to public safety will attract security intervention.

The command said its priority remains the protection of lives and property, maintenance of public order and the investigation and prosecution of individuals found to have violated the law.

 

Osun Police Warn Against Planned Cult-Linked Protest, Investigate Recent Killing