The Ogun State Police Command has arrested three secondary school students, including a 12-year-old, over a suspected cult initiation in Owode-Yewa, following intelligence about a planned cult-related activity involving students from different schools in the area.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, October 23, 2026, explaining that the operation followed information received by the command on October 22 about an event tagged “Kito Day”.
According to the statement, the Divisional Police Officer in Owode-Yewa immediately deployed detectives to the location in collaboration with members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria to prevent the suspected initiation.
The operation led to the arrest of three students aged 12, 18 and 18, while police operatives recovered items suspected to be connected to the planned activity.
The recovered items included an English axe, two knives, a short cutlass, a rubber toy gun and a school bag.
The police said the arrests followed timely intelligence gathering aimed at preventing cult-related activities among students in the area.
“The Ogun State Police Command has foiled a suspected cult initiation in Owode-Yewa, arresting three students aged 12, 18 and 18 following timely intelligence about a planned cult-related activity tagged ‘Kito Day’ involving students from different secondary schools in the area,” the statement read.
The command added that the suspects and recovered items would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation and possible prosecution.
“The case will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Eleweran, Abeokuta, today, 23rd October 2026, for further investigation and possible prosecution,” the statement added.
The arrest comes amid continuing concerns over cult-related activities among young people and the need for stronger collaboration among security agencies, schools, parents and communities to prevent the recruitment of students into cult groups.
The police did not disclose the identities of the arrested students or provide further details about the alleged planned initiation.
