Pandemonium as police, suspected cultists engage in gun duel in Abeokuta

MICHAEL-AZEEZ OGUNSIJI, Abeokuta

The rising spate of of insecurity in Ogun state, especially in the state capital, Abeokuta took a new dimension on Tuesday as suspected cultists embarked on free for all gun battle with policemen.

Daily Champion correspondent who ran into the sporadic gunshot saw policemen engaging the hoodlums in a face-off.

Eyewitness told our correspondent that, the pandemonium broke out after unknown gunmen killed yet to be identified two people in front of popular petrol station at Ijaiye roundabout on Monday night.

Our correspondent who witnessed the scene saw commercial vehicle drivers abandoning their vehicles, while other motorists and passersby scampered for safety.

This development was barely  24 hours after another suspected cultist was killed on Sunday night at Quarry, in Abeokuta.

Meanwhile, the Ogun State Police command has arrested three suspected cultists involved in the Ijaiye shooting.

Confirming the arrest, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi said normalcy has returned to the scene as Police have been stationed at strategic location.

Oyeyemi while speaking with THE ENCOUNTER NEWS on phone said, six members of dreaded cult groups, Eiye and Aiye, have been arrested by operatives of Ogun state police command while engaging in supremacy battle in Ijaye area of Abeokuta metropolis.

The suspects; Kazeem Ogundairo a.k.a NEPA, Nasiru Idris a.k.a Aloma, Ayo Joshua a.k.a Terry G, Damilare Shogbamu a.k.a Dhray, Bisiriyu Ibrahim Owoyele and Labulo Jamiu a.k.a jay boy were arrested following a distress call received from residents of Ijaye area that, the cultists were running riot in the area.

The PPRO said, upon the distress call, the commissioner of police, CP Lanre Bankole, directed the special squad led by ACP Bolanle Muritala to move to the scene and bring the situation under control.

He noted that, on sighting the policemen, some of the hoodlums ran to different direction, while some engaged the policemen with dangerous weapons.

At the end of the encounter, the squad succeeded in arresting six amongst the hoodlums, while others escaped.

Meanwhile, the commissioner of police CP Lanre Bankole has ordered a continuous operation “clamp down” on all known cultists in the state in order to put an end to their nefarious activities across the state.

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