20 suspected robbers, 10 cultists arrested on information by community

ACP Fayoade Adegoke, the Police Area Commander for Sango-Ota Command in Ogun State, says relevant information by Ota community aided the arrest of more than 20 robbery suspects and 10 cultists.
Adegoke, who made the disclosure on Thursday during the 2nd Security Town Hall meeting he held at Connect Events Centre, Ijako-Ota, said the arrests were within three months.
The leaders in the communities in Sango Ota, traditional rulers, market women, military and other government parastatals attended the meeting.
Adegoke said the outcome of the first meeting and the communities’ participation in policing had led to the arrest of some criminals, thereby making Ota more habitable.
Adegoke, who highlighted some of his achievements, said SP Olayinka Egbeyemi, the Divisional Police Officer for Sango-Ota, was able to foil an attempt by suspected cultists to kill a man on his wedding day.
He said the three suspects arrested in connection with the foiled attempt to kill the man were with different weapons, which they intended to use in the operation.
The area commander said the cultists would have succeeded but for the information given by good Samaritans who saw the cultists gather for their operation and reported to the police.
Adegoke also said that common crimes in the area when he took over included kidnapping, armed robbery, murder, cultism, clashes emanating from land matters.
He noted that with the support of the people and some strategies adopted by the command, the different crimes were checked.
Adegoke said: “The population of the area is increasing daily and policing is becoming more demanding as crime dynamics changed with time.
“This will necessitate the building of more Police Stations and Posts, and steady supply of crime-fighting tools as well as logistics for effective service delivery.”
The Ogun Commissioner of Police, Abdulmajid Ali, said the meeting would help to curb insecurity and also enhance effective police/community relationship.
Ali said this was his first meeting since he assumed duty as the commissioner and commended the area commander for his effort.
He urged the people to cooperate with the police, noting that kidnapping, ritual killings, cultism and robbery were the major crimes when he took over.
He added that he had ordered his men to ensure that anyone found carrying out such crimes should be brought to book.
“That same order had reduced some of the mentioned crimes as nobody was willing to die.”
The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2, Bala Hassan, urged the traditional rulers in the area to check their subjects with a view to report anyone with criminal tendency.
Hassan assured the people of the state of more police presence and patrol vehicles, adding that this would check crimes and criminality in Ogun State.
The traditional ruler of Ilogbo, Oba Olufemi Ojugbeleyi, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria on the sidelines, said peace has returned to his domain due to the collective efforts of the police.
He said: “My main concern is the enforcement of court judgments over land issues.
“Some policemen always frustrate such judgments as they fail to enforce it.
“Such attitude is not good for the development of the community.”
Meanwhile, AIG Hassan assured Ojugbeleyi that henceforth, there would be effective implementation of court orders and advised anyone with difficulties to contact the commissioner or himself for necessary actions.
NAN reports that the meeting witnessed by no fewer than 500 people, attracted comments, requests and questions and answers from the people.
NAN.