..as Ondo Police  arrest four suspected ritualists in shocking cult initiation attempt

A coordinated effort by the Ondo State Police Command has led to the rescue of a 17-year-old abducted student of the Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), Okitipupa, and the arrest of four suspected ritualists, including a student accomplice and a traditional cultist.

Commissioner of Police, CP Adebowale Lawal, made this known during a press briefing, detailing the rescue operation and arrests that stemmed from a petition submitted by the victim’s father, Hon. Orowole Akinwale Adamson, on July 1, 2025.

According to the police report, Orowole Laughter, a 100-level student of OAUSTECH, was reported missing after she left home on June 25, 2025, without revealing her destination.

Following the complaint, the Command’s Special Operations Squad launched a diligent, technology-driven investigation to trace the whereabouts of the missing teenager.

Tracking data revealed that the victim traveled from Akure to Ilesha, Osun State, on June 29, and returned to Akure on June 30, 2025. In a calculated and strategic move, surveillance was mounted at a commercial bank in Alagbaka, Akure, where the police, with the cooperation of the victim’s family—deposited a specific amount of money into her account, anticipating that she would attempt a withdrawal under her captors’ instructions.

The plan proved successful on July 7, 2025, when the victim appeared at the bank. She was rescued on the spot, and a suspect, Ayomide Emmanuel Luli, 25, was arrested during the operation.

Subsequent interrogation of Luli led to the arrest of Iretomiwa Festus, 23, also a student of OAUSTECH, who had allegedly lured the victim from her home under false pretenses. Medical examination of the girl revealed three incision marks on her left hand, raising suspicions of ritual activities.

The suspects confessed to taking the girl to a traditional cultist identified as Chief Awe Akinyemi, 42, in Ilesha, Osun State, for initiation into an Ogboni cult.

Acting swiftly, the police arrested Chief Akinyemi on July 9, 2025. During a search of his residence, a white cloth used during the initiation ritual was recovered. Akinyemi admitted that the ritual was performed by one “Apena,” a cult leader who is currently on the run.

The police confirmed that the rescued victim is receiving medical care and psychological support, while efforts are ongoing to track down the fleeing cultist, Apena.

“This case is a clear demonstration of what can be achieved when law enforcement and members of the public work together,” CP Adebowale Lawal stated. “Thanks to timely information, strategic planning, and inter-agency coordination, we were able to prevent what could have been a tragic outcome.”

The Commissioner assured the public that all arrested suspects will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations and emphasized the Command’s zero tolerance for crimes targeting young people, particularly in academic environments.

The Command urged parents, guardians, and school authorities to intensify efforts in monitoring their wards and students, while reiterating its commitment to clamp down on ritualists and cult groups across the state.