Osun Police Nab 24 Notorious Cultists and Thugs Linked to Tragic Shooting of 14-Year-Old Ezekiel

The Osun State Police Command has launched a sweeping anti-crime offensive, arresting 24 suspected cultists and political thugs following a sequence of violent clashes that led to the tragic death of an innocent teenager.

The decisive breakthrough was made public during an emergency press briefing at the state police command headquarters in Osogbo. The Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, explained that the stepped-up operations are part of a targeted initiative to completely disarm criminal gangs and restore public safety as the state navigates an increasingly tense political atmosphere.

Public anger across the state reached a boiling point following the murder of 14-year-old Ezekiel Olapade in Ilobu, located within the Irepodun Local Government Area. According to eyewitness accounts, the young boy was shot at close range by suspected political thugs while attempting to help his mother, who had stumbled and fallen while fleeing from sporadic, indiscriminate gunfire near a local administrative secretariat.

The heartless killing drew sharp condemnation from the Osun State Government, which immediately demanded a rapid forensic investigation to track down the actors behind the assault.

Following intense intelligence gathering and field raids, tactical teams rounded up a large network of suspects. The police ledger explicitly named prominent gang figures, including Kareem Saheed (popularly known as “Tanfiani”), Oyeladun Muideen (alias “Akilapa”), Ridwan Adekola, and Mukaila Azeez (alias “Mikki”). Search operations at their various hideouts yielded an array of weapons, including a locally made rifle, swords, sharp cutlasses, defensive charms, and multiple expended cartridges.

“The command is fully aware of the recent cult-related killings and acts of thuggery threatening the peace of the State, some of which have been given political undertones,” Commissioner Ibrahim Gotan stated to reporters. “Through intensified operations, we have arrested several suspects linked to these crimes and remain fiercely committed to ensuring the safety and security of all residents. I am using this avenue to warn all criminally minded individuals, including cultists, political thugs, and other troublemakers, to desist from activities capable of disrupting public peace or face the full wrath of the law.”

The timing of the security surge has taken on massive political significance, with Osun State just weeks away from its highly anticipated August 15, 2026, gubernatorial election. The sudden spike in community violence has led to intense finger-pointing between rival political factions, significantly complicating the local security landscape.

In a sharp institutional reaction, the national leadership of the Accord Party issued a formal press release demanding the immediate removal and redeployment of CP Ibrahim Gotan. The party accused the police command of failing to proactively dismantle known political thug networks operating in broad daylight across Osogbo and Ede, alleging that opposition members were being intentionally targeted to suppress voter turnout. Conversely, several civil groups and legislative forums have thrown their weight behind the police chief, praising his neutrality and urging the Inspector-General of Police to resist partisan pressure.

With tactical border patrols now reinforced and undercover anti-cultism units deployed to known flashpoints, the police command is determined to keep a lid on the unrest. By combining aggressive community policing with the swift arraignment of high-profile gang leaders, authorities are attempting to send a clear signal that criminal violence will not be tolerated as a tool for political intimidation.