POLICE ARREST THREE STUDENTS DURING SUSPECTED CULT INITIATION IN OGUN, 12-YEAR-OLD AMONG THEM

The Ogun State Police Command has arrested three secondary school students, aged 12 and 18, during a suspected cult initiation in Owode-Yewa, the headquarters of Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State.

The development was disclosed by the command’s spokesperson, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, on Friday, October 23, 2026 .

THE ARREST

According to Babaseyi, the police received a distress call about suspected cult activities in the area and responded promptly.

“The command received a distress call about an ongoing cult initiation and operatives were dispatched to the scene. On arrival, three suspects were arrested while others fled the scene,” he said.

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The suspects, whose names were withheld due to their ages, include a 12-year-old and two 18-year-olds. Babaseyi said preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects were students of different secondary schools in the area.

THE INVESTIGATION

The police spokesperson said items recovered from the suspects included charms and materials suspected to be used for the initiation.

“Investigation is ongoing to apprehend other fleeing members of the gang and to determine the extent of the cult network in the area,” Babaseyi said.

He added that the suspects would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation.

A WARNING TO STUDENTS

Babaseyi urged parents and guardians to monitor their children and warn them against cultism.

“We are appealing to parents and guardians to keep a close watch on their children and wards. Cultism destroys lives and futures. Students should stay away from any group or gathering that promotes violence, secrecy or initiation,” he said .

He also urged residents to report any suspicious activities to the police.

WHY IT MATTERS

The arrest of a 12-year-old during a cult initiation is a chilling reminder of how early young people are being recruited into secret cults.

Secondary schools, which should be places of learning and growth, are increasingly becoming recruitment grounds for cult groups.

The consequences are devastating: violence, expulsion, criminal records and, in some cases, death.The police response is commendable.

But the deeper question is why children as young as 12 are being drawn into cultism in the first place. Poverty, peer pressure, broken homes and the glamorisation of cult culture in some communities all contribute.

Until those root causes are addressed, arrests alone will not solve the problem.

ValidViewNetwork reports that the suspects remain in police custody. The investigation continues.