Kwara State Police have arrested 13 suspected cultists and drug dealers. They were posing as commercial motorcycle riders in Ilorin.
Officers conducted a coordinated raid at Tanke Junction on Friday. The National Forest Guard worked alongside the police during the operation.
Intelligence reports had flagged the area for criminal activity. Authorities say the suspects engaged in cult violence and narcotics trafficking.
Police spokesperson SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi confirmed the arrests in a statement. She noted that officers recovered 24 motorcycles from the detainees.
Five of the motorcycles lacked proper registration, she added. The bikes will be held as evidence during investigations.
Investigators also seized various drugs from the suspects. Cannabis sativa, crystal methamphetamine known locally as "ice," and tramadol were among the substances recovered.
Tanke Junction has long been a hotspot for crime. Authorities believe the location served as a hub for drug distribution and youth recruitment into criminal groups.
According to Ejire-Adeyemi, residents faced intimidation from operators at the junction. Criminal networks used the spot to plan attacks across Ilorin and surrounding communities.
Police say some accomplices managed to escape during the raid. Officers are pursuing the fleeing suspects to dismantle the entire criminal network.
The command plans to prosecute all detained suspects once investigations wrap up. They will face charges in court, the spokesperson confirmed.
Kwara's police leadership reiterated its resolve to combat cultism statewide. Drug trafficking and violent crime remain priority targets for ongoing operations, they said.
