Police arrest five suspected cult members in Lagos

Lagos State Police Command has arrested five suspected cult members allegedly terrorising residents of the Apapa, Ijora and Badia areas of the state.

The suspects were apprehended over the weekend by operatives of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) following credible intelligence on their alleged criminal activities.

The Command’s spokesperson, Superintendent of Police Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed the arrests in a statement made available to journalists.

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According to the statement, the operation led to the arrest of one Abubakar Ayomide, 25, also known as “Garbazin”, who subsequently led operatives to the group’s hideout, where four other suspects were apprehended.

The other suspects were identified as Tanko Yusuf, 23; Ahmed Abibu, 24; Abubakar Shafi, 23; and Fatai Mohammed, 25.

Hundeyin said the principal suspect confessed to being a member of the Aiye Confraternity and had provided useful information to investigators.

He added that efforts were ongoing to apprehend other members of the gang and conclude investigations ahead of prosecution.

The police spokesperson further disclosed that a search of the suspects’ hideout led to the recovery of one battle axe, one UTC knife, two other knives, one hammer, substances suspected to be Indian hemp, items suspected to be criminal charms, and other exhibits.

Reacting to the arrests, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Olohundare Jimoh, warned cultists and other criminal elements operating in the state to immediately renounce their activities or face the full weight of the law.

The police commissioner stressed that there would be no hiding place for cultists in Lagos, reaffirming the Command’s commitment to identifying, arresting and prosecuting those involved in cult-related violence and other criminal activities.

He also assured residents that the Command would continue to intensify intelligence-led operations across the state until cultism and other violent crimes were decisively curtailed.

The commissioner urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to the police, assuring them that all reports would be treated with the utmost confidentiality.