Operatives of the Kwara State Police Command, working alongside personnel of the National Forest Guard, have apprehended 13 suspected cultists, thugs and drug dealers during a joint raid conducted at Tanke Junction in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday in Ilorin by the state Police Public Relations Officer, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi.
Ejire-Adeyemi said, “Following credible intelligence on the activities of hoodlums operating under the guise of commercial motorcyclists, the police bust a black spot in Ilorin on Thursday and arrested some suspects.
“The suspects were involved in cult-related activities, street violence, illicit drug trafficking and other criminal acts capable of disrupting public peace and safety within the area, which has over time gained notoriety as a criminal flashpoint within the Ilorin metropolis.
“During the operation, twenty-four (24) motorcycles were recovered, out of which five (5) were unregistered. Various suspected illicit substances reasonably believed to be cannabis sativa, ‘ice’ (crystal methamphetamine), Colorado, tramadol and other hard drugs were also recovered from the suspects.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects used the location as a gathering point for drug peddling, recruitment of youths into unlawful societies, intimidation of residents and planning of criminal activities within Ilorin and its environs.
“Efforts are being intensified to apprehend other fleeing accomplices and dismantle the criminal network, while the suspects currently in custody will be charged to court upon the conclusion of ongoing investigations.”
It would be recalled that the Anambra State Police Command recently arrested eight suspects connected to cult-related offences during a separate operation.
The police equally recovered different quantities of suspected Cannabis Sativa and other harmful drugs.
