Lagos: Police nab suspected cult members, recover locally made pistol, live ammunition

The Lagos State Police Command has taken into custody four suspected members of the Aiye Confraternity cult group in Mushin, following intelligence linking one of the suspects to alleged killings in the area and other parts of the state.

The suspects were also said to have led police operatives to recover a locally made Beretta pistol and one 9mm live ammunition.

Spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, SP Abimbola Adebisi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

According to her, the arrest followed credible intelligence on the activities of cult groups in Mushin, which prompted operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) to commence an operation in the area.

She said the first suspect arrested, Irawo Moshod, allegedly admitted to being a former chairman of the Aiye Confraternity.

According to Adebisi, Moshod made useful disclosures during interrogation, including an alleged admission of involvement in several killings in Mushin and other parts of Lagos State.

Acting on information allegedly provided by Moshod, the operatives proceeded to Idi-Oro, Mushin, where they recovered the locally made Beretta pistol and the 9mm live ammunition.

The police subsequently arrested three other suspected members of the group — Abayomi James, 29; Farouq Bankole, 28; and Steven Sunday, 19 — at Aganran by Ojuwoye.

The command said the three suspects admitted to being members of the Aiye Confraternity and allegedly disclosed that the recovered firearm was obtained from one Rilwan, whom they identified as a senior member of the group.

The four suspects are currently in police custody and assisting with investigations, while efforts are ongoing to arrest other suspected members of the group.

Commending the VCRU operatives, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Tijani Fatai, described the operation as proactive and intelligence-driven.

Fatai reaffirmed the command’s commitment to dismantling criminal networks and ensuring the safety of residents across the state.

He warned cultists and other criminal elements to desist from their activities or face the full weight of the law.

The command also urged residents to report suspicious activities through its emergency lines for prompt police response.

𝕤𝕖𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖/𝕨𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕧𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕠 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖