Man bags 10 years for belonging to secret cult, possession of firearms

A Special Anti-Cultism Court sitting in Abeokuta Magistrates’ Court on Monday sentenced a 31-year-old man, Ismail Afolabi, to 10 years imprisonment for cultism and unlawful possession of firearms.
 

Afolabi was earlier arraigned on a four-count charge, bordering on conspiracy, belonging to a secret cult, unlawful possession of firearms and unlawful possession of ammunition without license.
 
Delivering the judgment, the Magistrate, Mrs O.O. Ogundele, held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, thus pronouncing the defendant guilty as charged.
 
Ogundele, said that the evidence presented by the prosecution was tenable, and therefore sentenced Afolabi to seven years imprisonment on count two and 10 years each on counts three and four.
 
She, however, ordered that the sentences should run concurrently with no option of fine.
 
The defendant was however, discharged on the first count, which bordered on conspiracy to commit a felony.
 
Earlier, the prosecutor, ASP Olaide Rawlings, told the court that Afolabi committed the offences on June 26, 2025, at about 5:30 p.m. at Saje area of Abeokuta.
 
Rawlings alleged that the police received information that some members of the Eiye Confraternity were holding a meeting at Saje, Car Wash Area in Abeokuta.
 
She said the SWAT Operations Team proceeded to the scene, but the suspected cult members took to their heels when they sighted the police.
 
“Afolabi was apprehended while others escaped. Upon his arrest, a cross bag was found in his possession which contained a locally-made double-barrel pistol and a live cartridge,”she said.
 
Rawlings alleged that the defendant unlawfully belonged to the Eiye Confraternity and was also found in possession of firearm and ammunition without lawful authority.
 
She said the offences contravene Section 35 and 36 of the Ogun State Special Prohibition Law 2016.
 
The prosecutor added that the offences committed contravene Section 3, 27(1)(a)(i) of the Firearms Act, Cap F28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2014.