Police Arrest Suspected Cultists, Robbers in Ogun

James Sowole in Abeokuta

Five suspected cultists on the wanted list of the Ogun State Police Command were on February 22 arrested by the police in the state.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abimbola Oyeyemi, added that the men were arrested at their hideout on Molipa Road in ijebu Ode while planning another violent attack.
The suspects, according to the PPRO, are Segun Olabiyi (aka Koleje); Musa Atanda (aka Musa SARS); Olorunjuedalo Adewale, Olamide Odewole and Peter Anuoluwapo Akinyemi.
He said the suspects were arrested following information received by the policemen attached to Obalende Divisional headquarters in Ijebu Ode that the hoodlums, who are also members secret cult group, were gathering in preparation for a deadly attack.
He said: “Upon the information, theDivisional Police Officer (DPO), Obalende Division, Salami Murphy, mobilised his men and headed to the scene.
“On sighting the policemen, the hoodlums engaged them in gun battle, but were subdued by the superior firepower of the policemen, which eventually led to the arrest of five among them while others escaped with bullets injuries.
“Items recovered at the scene of the encounter included one locally-made short gun, two live cartridges and assorted criminal charms.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects were actively involved in various cult clashes that had claimed many lives, including that of a serving policeman, Akeem Oseni, attached to Igbeba Division.
“Their trademark, according to their confession, is to cut off the right hand of their victims after killing them. They also confessed to have involved in some robbery operation in Ijebu Ode and its environs, and that one of their prominent leaders known as Perth was killed in one of the robbery operations.”
Oyeyemi said the state Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole, has directed that the suspects be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) for discreet investigation.
Also, a cleric, the Shepherd in-charge of a Celestial Church of Christ, Jesu Yan Parish in Akure, Ogun State, Pastor Ayidele Omope has been arrested by the police. According to Oyeyemi, the cleric was arrested for alleged attempted murder and unlawful possession of a prohibited firearm.
Oyeyemi said: “Omope was arrested following a distress call received from one Deji Olaketan, who informed the police at Ajuwon Divisional headquarters that he and one 18-year-old Kemi Johnson took their boss whom they work for as driver and housemaid respectively to the airport to board a plane, and after dropping their boss, they took the vehicle to the house of their boss relation as directed.
“But on their way home, they were informed that the Oro festival was ongoing at Olambe area, which made it impossible for them to pass through the area.
“They then saw a Celestial Church where a vigil was taking place, and decided to join them since it was already late in the night.
“While they were at the entrance of the church, the suspect, who happened to be the shepherd in-charge of the church came out with a pump action rifle, and before they could utter any explanation, he shot Kemi Johnson on the leg.
“Upon the distress call, the Divisional Police Officer of Ajuwon Police Division, Andrew Akinseye, quickly mobilised his men and moved to the scene where the suspect was promptly arrested.
“The victim was quickly rushed to Ifako Ijaye General Hospital, from where she was referred to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital and finally to Orthopedics Hospital at Igbobi in Lagos.”
He added that: “The pump action rifle and five live cartridges had been recovered from the suspect.”
The PPRO said the state Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole, has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspect to the state criminal investigation and intelligence department for discreet investigation.
Operator Stresses Importance of Independent Producers in Power Sector
The Managing Director/CEO of Welbeck Electricity Distribution Limited, Mr. Afolabi Aiyela, has hailed the role of independent power producers (IPPs) in enabling the realisation of the goals of the power sector reform.
Aiyela, who stated while speaking to newsmen on the new projects being undertaken by his company, said IPPs such as Welbeck are filling a critical gap in the power industry by serving specific communities such as industries, commercial hubs and essential services.
According to him, since the take-off of Welbeck, it has successfully delivered over six IPP for specific communities in Lagos and around the country.
“IPPs are meeting the critical needs of specific communities such as industries, commercial hubs and estates, which would otherwise have faced difficulties with unreliable power from the national grid. At Welbeck, for instance, we serve some key establishments across the country and it will surprise you that the pricing is a lot more competitive than you would get with alternative sources of power,” he said.
Aiyela, who was speaking after inspecting the installation of the company’s Oregun IPP located within the Oregun industrial hub in Lagos, noted that Welbeck is currently undertaking three new power projects in Lagos, Imo and Oyo states.
This includes a 2.2 megawatts(mw) plant for industrial consumers in Oregun Industrial Hub.
Meanwhile, the new IPPs have been hailed by consumers as timely.
According to the General Manager of K3 Industries, a leading packaging company established in 2004, Mr. Reina Saad, “the “new IPP is a welcome development within the Oregun industrial hub that will go a long way to promote production and growth respectively. ” To the managing director of 111 Solid Drive Enterprises, one of the top soundproof producers in Nigeria,
”The proposed newly built IPP to be sited within this industrial hub is a lofty development particularly at this time because it will help to sustain stability of power needed by our company for production and manufacturing,” he added.
The company’s second ongoing IPP project is the Owerri IPP, a 3.3mw facility, located in the heart of the Agro Allied industrial estate, which will facilitate the supply of cheap and reliable power supply to commercial consumers in the area. The third IPP in Ibadan will produce 3.3MW for specific consumers. In addition to the new ongoing IPPs, Welbeck has existing IPPs at Ladipo (1MW), Ojota IPP (6.6MW) and Apapa IPP (3MW).
Reiterating that reliable power supply is critical to Nigeria’s economic recovery and growth, Aiyela called on the federal and state governments to partner IPPs to deliver on projects for their commercial enclaves. He observed for instance that the Lagos State government has been supportive of the company’s projects in the state, adding that, “it is the way to go for states, especially many of them with commercial and residential clusters.”