Kwara VCRU arrest three suspected cultists over student’s abduction, murder

By Ahmed Olayinka

The Kwara State Police Command has arrested three suspected members of the notorious Eiye Confraternity over the alleged abduction and murder of a student of Kwara State Polytechnic, following a painstaking investigation by the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU).

The suspects, identified as Adeoye Babatunde Alimi, 23, popularly known as “Solar”; Bernard Kayode, 25, alias “KK” and Owoyemi Bashiru, 27, alias “GDP”, were apprehended during coordinated tactical operations carried out on Monday, June 29, 2026, at identified cult hideouts within the Ilorin metropolis.

The arrests followed credible intelligence and sustained investigations into the disappearance of Sodiq Durodola Olaniyi, a 29-year-old indigene of Oyo State and student of Kwara State Polytechnic, who had been declared missing since June 4, 2026.

According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Police Public Relations Officer of the Kwara State Command, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, preliminary investigations revealed that the three suspects are members of a violent cult group allegedly responsible for Olaniyi’s abduction.

The police spokesperson disclosed that during interrogation, the suspects confessed to their individual roles in the crime and admitted that the victim was executed by members of the cult group after he was abducted.

Further investigations, according to the Command, revealed that the criminal gang consists of 12 members, with nine other suspects still on the run.

The police said tactical operations have been intensified to apprehend the fleeing suspects, dismantle the criminal network and recover the victim’s body.

“The suspects presently in custody are also assisting investigators with useful information regarding other violent crimes allegedly perpetrated by the group within Ilorin metropolis,” the statement said.

The Command assured residents that investigations are ongoing and reiterated its commitment to ensuring that all those connected with the crime are brought to justice.

It added that the suspects would be prosecuted in accordance with the law upon the conclusion of investigations.

The Kwara State Police Command also urged members of the public to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information to aid efforts at combating cultism and other violent crimes across the state.