Ijebu-Ode The Ogun State Police Command said it had arrested an alleged serial rapist, kidnapper, and murderer, AbdulAzeez Ibrahim, in the Imaweje community of Ijebu-Ode on Sunday.

The command spokesperson, Omolola Odutola, who to Journalists, said Ibrahim was arrested at about 2:30 am on Sunday.

The command said the suspect was also a leader and gunrunner for the notorious Neo-Black Axe Movement, otherwise known as the Aye Confraternity.

Ibrahim was also alleged to be the second in command, named “Butcher” of the confraternity, and the custodian of all gang weapons used to terrorize some communities in Ijebu-Ode.

Odutola said, “Ibrahim was arrested in the early hours of today (Sunday). He claimed to be a final-year student at Tai Solarin University of Education in Ijegun. He is a serial rapist and murderer. He had earlier been wanted in a kidnapping case.

“He keeps the arms and ammunition the group used for their operations in the Ijebu area. He is believed to be the second in command, which is why they regard him as the ‘Butcher’. He is the leader of the group terrorizing some communities in Ijebu-Ode.

“Following intelligence, the Special Weapons and Tactics team stormed his hideout, where several weapons and charms were recovered. One serviceable Beretta fully loaded with four rounds of live ammunition, one pump-action Rifle-Josef with 10 rounds of live cartridges, one English long double barrel rifle, two locally made short single barrel rifles, one locally made short single barrel with two rounds of live ammunition, assorted charms of body armor, and others were recovered from his apartment.”

She noted that the state commissioner of police, Abiodun Alamutu, had vowed to clamp down on notorious criminal elements in the state.

Odutola added, “The Commissioner of Police, CP Alamutu Abiodun, through various sting operations, has promised to eliminate all criminal elements, including syndicate groups notorious for kidnapping, armed robbery, rape, and cultism.”

Ogun state has been battling with cult activities and killings in recent times. One of the incidents reportedly left several people dead and many others arrested in the Sagamu area.

Last week, two yet-to-be-identified persons were reportedly butchered to death by suspected cultists in Ota town in the Ado-Odo Ota area of the state.

Following the rising cases, the command has in the past few months carried out various operations to stem the rise of cultism in the state. One of its September 2023 operations led the SWAT team to arrest a suspected kingpin of the Eiye Confraternity, Ogunnibi Hammed, along with 18 other suspected members of the gang.

The police said Hammed was a notorious cultist who had been widely known for his involvement in gruesome attacks against rival cult groups in the state.

Others arrested during the sting operations include Sodipo Azeez, also known as Bintobo, Ilori Gbenga, Lamina Yusuf, Kolawole Rasaq, Adelaja Otusanya, Adeyemi Soneye, Oseni Toheeb, ThankGod Naba, Lekan Qudus, Adelusi Omotayo, and Timothy Monday. Ayomide Ishmael, Oboje Jeremiah, Ayoola Oladayo, Jacob Chidi, John Innocent, Ayangbile Victor, and Jacob Sunday.