Police Arrest Seven Minors, 13 Other Suspected Cultists in Lagos

Chiemelie Ezeobi

No fewer than seven minors and 13 other suspected cultists were arrested by the Lagos State Police Command in different raids across the state.

The state Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, while parading the suspects Monday, said it was particularly worrisome that some of them were minors.

On the first set of arrested cultists, he said the O/C Anti-cultism, SP Agbegbe Godwin, acting on information about a dreaded cult group terrorising the people of Ejinirin-Iworo area of Ikorodu, swung into action with his team.

The operatives arrested four suspected cultists belonging to Eiye confraternity and they all confessed to belonging to the cult group.

The suspects were identified as 20-year-old Hassan Olaniyi, 18-year-old Afolabi Muiz, 26-year-old Wahab Moshood, who doubles as the leader and kingpin of the cult group, and 23-year-old Ajenifuja Damola.

The CP said three cutlasses and two sharp knives were recovered from the suspects, adding that the suspects will be charged to court.

Similarly, the Igbogbo Divisional Police Officer, CSP Isa Lawan, received information that a cult group would be gathering at Bayeku area Igbogbo in Ikorodu for the initiation ceremony of newly recruited members.

The DPO was said to have mobilised his undercover team to the location and effected the arrests of the suspects during the initiation.

The suspects include: 24-year-old Lekan David, 19-year-olds Eko John and Kudus Idris, 17-year-olds Shakiru Ademode, Ibrahim Waheed, Adebowale Uthman,
Yusuf Wale and Abimbola Gbadamosi, 18-year-olds Rahman Adepoju and Alabi Abidemi, 23-year-old Seun Giwa, 16-year-olds Ganiyu Babatunde and Liyasu Azeez.

Three of the suspects — David, John and Idris — confessed to belonging to the dreaded Eiye confraternity, adding that they were arrested while conducting initiation for newly recruited members.

Preliminary investigation further revealed that the suspected cultists, who all reside in Lagos Island, had lured the newly recruited members with claims of a party.

Edgal said one worrisome thing about the arrest was that seven of the 13 suspects are minors.

He said the minors will be transferred to the Gender Unit of the state command for diligent prosecution, while the remaining six will be charged to court.

Also, the command arrested 35-year-old Lukman Olawale Agboola a.k.a Baggo, a suspected cultist and leader of the Eiye confraternity for threatening people with a gun at New Garage area, Bariga.

Upon getting the information, the O/C Anti-Kidnapping and intelligent teams of the squad swung into action to track down the illegal arm bearer.

When information filtered in that the said Baggo was sighted in Yaba area of Lagos, they went into action immediately to arrest him.

The CP said: “Our efforts paid off when we tracked him down and arrested him on a bike along Ogooluwa Street, Bariga.

“The said Lukuman was discovered to have caused the death of one Adegoke Philip a.k.a Major, on August, 21, 2017.

“On that day, he was in the company of deadly cult members namely: Rainbow, Aranze, Segun AKA Gbodon, Adekunle, Asumo, Ade and Agbara.

“The late Adegoke was stabbed to death by the aforementioned members of Eiye confraternity led by Agboola.”

Edgal said the case will be transferred to the homicide section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Panti, Yaba, for further investigation.

In another incident, the police also arrested 37-year-old Owodubi Ilesanmi at the Makoko area of Bariga.

He was fingered as one of the leaders of Eiye cult and a close associate of the late Adegoke Philip Major and one of those who killed him.

Also, one Juwon Michael AKA ocean, was arrested at Shogbon street, Akoka area of Bariga Lagos.

He was identified as one of the Aye confraternity leaders in Akoka area of Bariga.

Other top member of this group include; Tohibu, Rahman, Sharafa, Alagba, Egin, Latifu, Mayoka, Obolo and Tunmise.

The suspect confessed that on December 2015, he killed one Sogba at Ebute area, Ilaje Bariga, adding that he was initiated to Aiye cult two years ago at Ajah area of Lagos.