One killed as police clash with ‘cultists’ in Kwara

A student of Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, has been reportedly killed by suspected cultists in Lajolo, Ilorin East LGA of the state.

The suspected cultists were said to have invaded the area between Friday and Saturday.

Ajayi Okasanmi, police public relations officer (PPRO) in Kwara, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday.

The police spokesperson said a security team deployed from Abuja went after the “cultists”, but were ambushed, with one officer sustaining gunshot injury.

“The Kwara State Police Command wishes to allay the fears agitating the minds of the general public, especially residents around Kwara State Polytechnic area, that the pandemonium experienced today within the area arose as a result of the attack unleashed on a team of Police detectives from the Special Tactical Squad FIB, Abuja, who came on the trail of some cultists in the area,” the statement reads.

“Recall that cultists attacked and killed a student of Kwara State University, Malete yesterday 28/1/2022. Four of the cultists were arrested and dangerous weapons were recovered from the suspects.

“Information available to the STS team indicated that some of the cultists were hiding at Lajolo area of Kwara Polytechnic Ilorin, where a similar attack was unleashed on one student named Idris Aderemi by same cultists at about 0600hrs today 29/1/22, in the same area. This prompted the visit to the area by the STS team.

“Surprisingly, the cultists who were already in ambush, attacked the police team damaging the police Hummer bus and inflicting a gunshot injury on the head of one police sergeant, Adebayo Abdulahi, attached to the STS team.

“In the ensuing imbroglio, students in their numbers came out to block the road and prevented the free flow of traffic and burning tyres on the road. The Commissioner of Police Kwara State, Tuesday Assayomo, immediately dispatched teams of policemen to the area to restore peace.

“However, two cultists, one Ahmed ‘m’ surname unknown and one Musibau ‘m’ A.K.A Shaban was arrested with one fabricated English pistol with three live ammunition, 2 live cartridges and one pistol magazine.”

The police spokesperson added that the injured officer has been taken to the hospital for treatment.