Group Urges Police, DSS to Investigate Alleged Cult-related Killing in Osun
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Group Urges Police, DSS to Investigate Alleged Cult-related Killing in Osun
A youth advocacy group, One-Forest Youth Initiative, has called on the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services to launch a thorough investigation into the alleged cult-related killing of Ajayi Busuyi Aderogba, popularly known as Rogba, in Osun State.
The group made the call on Thursday while addressing journalists in Abuja, warning that the circumstances surrounding the incident could trigger further violence if not properly investigated by security agencies.
Speaking on behalf of the group, its National Coordinator, Mustapha Abdulrahman, alleged that the deceased was a prominent cult figure in Esa-Oke and neighbouring communities who had been linked to several violent crimes and cult supremacy battles.
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According to him, reports circulating on social media identified Aderogba as a former second-in-command of the Supreme Eiye Confraternity, also known as the National Association of Airlords, in Esa-Oke.
He further claimed that the deceased had been the subject of multiple complaints to the Osun State Police Command and had at different times been arraigned before a court over alleged criminal offences.
Abdulrahman also alleged that Aderogba had previously been arrested and prosecuted over the murder of a student in Esa-Oke before he was eventually released, adding that he had been linked to several violent clashes involving rival cult groups.
The group expressed concern over what it described as attempts to politicise the incident instead of allowing security agencies to carry out an impartial investigation into the killing and other cult-related crimes in the state.
“We urge the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Services to strengthen security in Esa-Oke and surrounding communities and ensure a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the killing,” Abdulrahman said.
He warned that the death of the alleged cult leader could spark reprisal attacks if proactive security measures were not put in place.
The group also called on the police to widen ongoing investigations into cult-related violence across Osun State and ensure that all individuals found culpable, regardless of their status, were brought to justice.
It further urged authorities to rid tertiary institutions of cultism, stressing that campuses should remain centres of learning rather than breeding grounds for violent criminal groups.
