The Cultists were arraigned on a four-count charge of Criminal conspiracy, murder, belonging to unlawful society and unlawful possession of live ammunition.
The accused persons, whose pleas were not taken, were however ordered to be remanded in prison while the matter was adjourned to May 23, 2019.
They are: Adebowale Kareem, 18; Adeniyi Adeyomoye, 24; John Gabriel, 22; Olufeko Fatai, 20; Kazeem Olajide, 28; Afeez Yahya, 29; Adefuye Ganiyu, 33; Taiwo Bono, 23; Logunleko Ibrahim, 28; Ajibola Oluwasindara, 20 and Bilesanmi Yusuf, 20.
Others are: Adeoye Oluwasoji, 20; Olatunde Olalekan, 22; Okulenu Abdulrasaq, 22; Alli Chinedu, 19; Abdulateef Abubakar, 19; Abdulwahaab Alli, 54; Aliu Abubakar, 18; Henry Nelson, 17; Adekoya Vincent, 14; Olalekan Alimi, 19 and Otuneye Samuel, 20.
It would be recalled that Ijebu-Ode was last Monday and Tuesday thrown into a state of disarray when members of two sworn arch rival cult groups, Eiye and Aye, re-enacted their age-long supremacy battle, forcing residents to scamper for safety.
The incident came under control with the deployment, by the State Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, of special units of the police, comprising the Police Mobile Force (PMF), Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and Anti-kidnapping/ Cultism, to lend a helping hand to operatives of Ijebu-Ode Area Command, leading to the arrest of the accused persons.
Meanwhile, according to a press statement on Friday, March 15, 2019, by the Command’s image maker, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, “in continuation of our crack down on members of these dreaded groups, some key leaders of the groups have been apprehended, and they are currently undergoing police interrogation and investigation”.
Oyeyemi further stated that CP Iliaysu had ordered the Deputy Commissioner of Police in-charge of the case to diligently investigate and bring to book all those who might any form of link, whether directly or indirectly to the crisis, as well as their sponsors, as, according to him, the Command would not tolerate such violent acts to go without the perpetrator been punished.