A Special Anti-Cultism Court sitting on Wednesday in Abeokuta Magistrates’ court, sentenced two men to various jail terms for cultism and unlawful possession of firearms.

The convicts, Micheal Akinola, 34, and Adeniyi Adeyemi, 39, were convicted on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, membership of an unlawful society and unlawful possession of firearms.

Delivering judgment, the Magistrate, O.L. Oke, found the defendants guilty on the charges preferred against them.

Mr Oke held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and evidence presented by the court was tenable.

He therefore, sentenced Akinola to seven years imprisonment on count one (conspiracy) and seven years imprisonment on count two (belonging to the unlawful Aiye Confraternity cult group).

Akinola was also sentenced to 10 years imprisonment on count three (unlawful possession of two locally made pistols and one live cartridge without licence).

The magistrate also found Adeniyi guilty on counts one and two, sentencing him to seven years imprisonment on each count.

He ruled that the sentences should run concurrently without option of fine.

Oke, however, ordered that Akinola should serve his jail term at the Oba Correctional Centre, while Adeniyi should serve his sentence at the Ibara Correctional Centre.

Earlier, the Prosecutor ASP Olaide Rawlings told the court that the defendants committed the offences on July 20, 2025, at about 2:50 p.m., at Gasline area along Ilogbo Road, Ota, in the Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State.

According to the prosecutor, the defendants conspired with others now at large to belong to the Aiye Confraternity, an unlawful society, and were also in possession of firearms.

She explained that the now convicts were on a motorcycle coming from Ilugbo to Ojuore, and while getting to the Shell bridge, the police men on checkpoint stopped them.

“Upon checking the defendants two locally made pistol and one live cartridge without licence or permit was found inside a bag with Akinola. Also upon interrogation Akinola could not give account of the fire arms found with him. During their arrest they made a confessional statement that they belong to a secret cult,” she said.

Ms Rawlings said that the offences contravene sections 45(b),34, 35, 36  of the Prohibition of Forcible Entry and Occupation of Landed Properties, Armed Robbery, Cultism, Kidnapping and Other Anti-Violence and Related Offences Law of Ogun State, 2016 as well as section 27(1)(a)(I)of the Firearms Act F28 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. 

(NAN)

IOJ/