The suspects, aged 12, 18 and 18, were arrested in Owode-Yewa following intelligence about a planned ‘Kito Day’ gathering, with police recovering an axe, knives, a cutlass and a toy gun.

The men of the Nigerian police, Ogun State Police Command has arrested three secondary school students over a suspected cult initiation in Owode-Yewa, following intelligence about a planned gathering involving students from different schools in the area.

The suspects, aged 12, 18 and 18, were arrested on Thursday, October 22, 2026, during an operation launched to prevent the alleged cult-related activity, reportedly tagged “Kito Day”.

The command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Friday, October 23.

According to the police, operatives acted on intelligence about the planned gathering and moved swiftly to the location under the supervision of the Divisional Police Officer in Owode-Yewa.

The operation was carried out in collaboration with members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria, leading to the arrest of the three students and the recovery of several items suspected to be connected to the planned activity.

Items recovered included an English axe, two knives, a short cutlass, a rubber toy gun and a school bag.

The police said the operation successfully foiled the suspected initiation before the planned activity could proceed.

The latest arrests have again drawn attention to concerns over the involvement of secondary school students in alleged cult-related activities and the need for early intervention to protect young people from violence and criminal associations.

The command said the case would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Eleweran, Abeokuta, on Friday for further investigation and possible prosecution.

The police did not disclose the identities of the arrested students or provide further details about the suspected group and the circumstances surrounding the planned initiation.

The command’s investigation is expected to establish the extent of the suspects’ alleged involvement and determine whether other individuals were connected to the planned gathering.