12-year-old, two others arrested as Ogun police foil secondary school cult initiation

The Ogun State Police Command has foiled a suspected cult initiation in Owode-Yewa, arresting three secondary school students, including a 12-year-old boy.

The suspects, aged 12, 18 and 18, were arrested following credible intelligence that students from different secondary schools in the area were planning a cult-related activity tagged “Kito Day”.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, said the Divisional Police Officer, Owode-Yewa, received the information on Thursday and swiftly deployed detectives in collaboration with the Vigilante Group of Nigeria to the scene.

The operation led to the arrest of the three suspects and recovery of one English axe, two knives, one short cutlass, one rubber toy gun and a school bag.

Babaseyi said the case will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation and possible prosecution.

DAILY POST reports that the foiled initiation comes amid growing concerns over cultism infiltration into secondary schools in Ogun State.

Earlier this week, police operatives of the Special Weapons and Tactics, SWAT, Unit also arrested a 30-year-old suspected cultist, Idris Obarayi, in Abeokuta and recovered a locally made pistol following a distress report of gunfire in Oke Ago-Owu area.

To curb the trend, the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices, POCACOV, has intensified sensitization in schools, partnering with stakeholders during the 2026 All Youth/Secondary Schools Leadership Summit in Ifo, where nearly 180 students participated.

Police authorities have urged parents, guardians and school heads to closely monitor activities of their children and report suspicious gatherings promptly.