Ogun Police Foil Suspected Cult Initiation, Arrest Three Students Including 12-Year-Old
The Ogun State Police Command has arrested three secondary school students, including a 12-year-old boy, over a suspected cult initiation planned in Owode-Yewa, Ogun State.
The arrests followed intelligence received by the police that students from different secondary schools in the area were planning a cult-related gathering reportedly tagged “Kito Day”.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, said the Divisional Police Officer in Owode-Yewa received the information on Thursday and deployed detectives to the location in collaboration with the Vigilante Group of Nigeria.
The operation led to the arrest of three suspects aged 12, 18 and 18. Police also recovered an English axe, two knives, a short cutlass, a rubber toy gun and a school bag during the operation.
According to Babaseyi, the case will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The incident comes amid concerns about suspected cult-related activities involving secondary school students in Ogun State. Earlier in the week, police operatives attached to the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit reportedly arrested a 30-year-old man, Idris Obarayi, in Abeokuta after a distress report about gunfire in the Oke Ago-Owu area. A locally made pistol was reportedly recovered.
In response to concerns about cultism and other vices among young people, the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV) has intensified awareness efforts in schools. The initiative recently partnered with stakeholders at the 2026 All Youth/Secondary Schools Leadership Summit in Ifo, which reportedly attracted nearly 180 students.
Police authorities have urged parents, guardians and school administrators to monitor young people’s activities and promptly report suspicious gatherings. The Owode-Yewa case remains subject to investigation, and the allegations against the arrested students have not been established in court.