Police Arrest Four Suspected Teenage Cultists in Lagos

Chiemelie Ezeobi

The Lagos State Police Command, weekend, arrested four suspected teenage cultists, all secondary school students in Surulere, prompting the Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, to raise an alarm over the continued initiation of underaged boys into cultism.

The four secondary schools students who were caught with some dangerous weapons, were identified as 17-year-old Femi Awoniyi, 15-year-old Dauda Sodiq, 13-year-old Ajala Hafiz and 17-year-old Temilehin Balogun.

While three of the suspects were students of Atunrase Senior Secondary School, Surulere, the other suspect was a student of Birch Freeman Junior Secondary School, also in Surulere.

According to Edgal, upon questioning, the teenage students confessed and mentioned their sponsor and leade, one Mr. Mayowa Rauf Oguntoye, an adult.

He said the teenagers were intercepted on their way to carry out a hit assignment and they confessed that they were on their way to attack a rival cult group at Eko Boys High School in Mushin.

While warning parents to watch their children, he threatened to arrest any parent whose child was caught in any activity relating to cultism.

He said parents have the responsibility of guiding and protecting children under their care until they were adults and above 18.

Thus, he noted that if they cannot protect and monitor their children and they end up joining any cult, such parents will be seen to have committed criminal offence, and would be arrested and prosecuted.

He said, “If any parent does not monitor and protect their children and they follow bad people and join any cult group, such parents will be arrested and prosecuted for negligence.

“I am worred over the activities of the boys who have been exposed to violent behaviours at such tender ages because of lack of parental care.

“Parents have no excuse to give. They should not only concentrate on payment of their children school fees but also monitor their activities at home and in school.”

He said the suspects have been referred to the Gender Section of the Police Command where they will have sessions with the officers there.