The Ogun State Police Command says it has intensified its crackdown on criminal enclaves across the state, announcing that 76 suspects have now been prosecuted under its ongoing Operation KOSAYE subsequent to a fresh raid that led to the arrest of 43 additional suspects at a notorious black spot along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The latest operation signals a shift by the Command from isolated arrests to a sustained campaign aimed at dismantling locations allegedly serving as operational bases for cult groups, drug traffickers, prostitution rings, and other criminal networks. Police authorities say the strategy combines intelligence gathering with immediate prosecution in an effort to prevent suspects from returning to the streets.
According to the Command, operatives of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit carried out the operation at about 11 p.m. on July 7 after receiving intelligence that a criminal hideout around Isheri-Olofin, opposite the Kara Cattle Market, had become a gathering point for suspected criminals engaged in cult-related activities, drug abuse, prostitution and other offences.
The raid, coordinated by the Commander of SWAT, CSP Murphy, resulted in the arrest of 43 suspects comprising 28 men and 15 women.
Police said searches conducted at the location led to the recovery of substances suspected to be Indian hemp, “Loud,” and other hard drugs. Officers also recovered 10 mobile phones, four power banks, a rechargeable hand fan, a cross-body bag containing two ATM cards and a National Identity Card, alongside other items investigators believe may be connected to criminal activities.
Unlike previous operations where investigations continued after arrests, the Command said all the suspects have already been arraigned before a competent court and remanded in a correctional facility pending trial.
The suspects are facing charges bordering on criminal conspiracy, membership of an unlawful society, unlawful assembly, conduct likely to cause a breach of public peace, disorderly conduct, unlawful possession and use of suspected cannabis, prostitution, operating and managing an unlicensed brothel, living on the earnings of prostitution, and other offences under Ogun State laws.
Police further disclosed that some of those arrested have begun providing investigators with information considered useful in ongoing criminal investigations, with follow-up operations already underway to identify and apprehend other suspects linked to the networks.
The Command noted that the latest prosecution has increased the number of suspects arraigned under Operation KOSAYE to 76.
According to police records, 33 suspects were prosecuted during the first phase of the operation, while the latest enforcement action accounted for the remaining 43.
The development is reflective of “a deliberate effort to ensure that intelligence-led operations culminate not only in arrests but also in successful prosecution.”
Operation KOSAYE was launched as part of the Ogun State Police Command’s broader campaign against organised crime, particularly in areas identified through intelligence as criminal flashpoints. Since its commencement, the operation has focused on dismantling criminal hideouts rather than merely responding to reported crimes.
Commending the officers involved, the Commissioner of Police, CP Bode Ojajuni, praised the professionalism, discipline, and resilience displayed by SWAT operatives during the latest exercise.
He described the operation as another milestone in the implementation of Operation KOSAYE and reaffirmed the Command’s determination to sustain pressure on criminal elements operating within the state.
The police chief warned that hideouts used for criminal activities, including drug joints, cult enclaves, and brothels allegedly serving as operational covers for crime, would continue to be identified and dismantled.
He also urged residents to strengthen collaboration with security agencies by providing timely and credible intelligence capable of preventing crime before it occurs.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, who signed the statement issued on Sunday, said the Command remains committed to intelligence-driven policing, tactical enforcement, and stronger community partnerships as part of efforts to improve public safety across Ogun State.
The significance of the latest operation, therefore, lies not only in the number of arrests but also in the Command’s emphasis on prosecution. Nigerian police operations have often attracted criticism when suspects are arrested but cases fail to proceed beyond investigation. By highlighting the rising number of prosecutions under Operation KOSAYE, the Ogun State Police appear intent on demonstrating that the campaign is designed to disrupt criminal networks through the criminal justice system rather than periodic enforcement exercises alone.
The Command said investigations are still ongoing and indicated that more arrests could follow as intelligence obtained from the suspects is analysed.
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