The Lagos State Police Command has arrested 23 suspected cultists and recovered five firearms during coordinated operations across Ikorodu, Lagos Island, Okoko, Ilasan, Ogba, and Iju areas.
The statewide crackdown, carried out under the directive of Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Fatai, targeted cultism and illegal arms proliferation.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, on Friday, said four suspects linked to the Buccaneers Confraternity were arrested in Ikorodu, while nine others were apprehended in Lagos Island during a raid on a criminal hideout.
He stated that in Ilasan, five suspects were arrested in connection with the killing of Emmanuel Obioson, while one suspect linked to the Eiye Confraternity was intercepted with a firearm in Okoko. He added that further operations in Ogba and Iju led to the arrest of four suspects involved in illegal cult gatherings and violent attacks.
According to Adebisi, the suspects include; “Shina Wale ‘m’ 36yrs, Kehinde Kareem ‘m’ 18yrs, Mohammed Aileru ‘m’ 18yrs, Bada Mujeeb ‘m’ 18yrs, Salam Kosoko ‘m’ 30yrs, Yusuf Anjorin ‘m’ 19yrs, Quadri Abubakar ‘m’ 21yrs, Lateef Salako ‘m’ 18yrs, Fawaz Bello ‘m’ 30yrs, Oyesola Olalekan ‘m’ age 36yrs, Ubaka Justice ‘m’ age 36yrs.
“Emmanuel Obekpa ‘m’ age 36yrs, Sodiq Ademola ‘m’ age 36yrs, Balogun Taofeek ‘m’ 33yrs, Azeez Owolabi ‘m’ age 28yrs, Meshack Obini ‘m’ age 24yrs, Fabulous John ‘m’ age 25yrs, Promise Israel ‘m’ age 28yrs, Bright Aniedi ‘m’ age 27yrs, Familola Fikayo David ‘m’ age 24yrs, Akeem Olamilekan ‘m’ aka Magali age 43yrs, Muiz Oyedele ‘m’ age 20yrs, Hamzat Sadiq ‘n’ age 19yrs.”
He also listed the recovered exhibits to include five locally made pistols, one toy pistol, fifteen live cartridges, three expended cartridges, security camouflage caps, and a jackknife.
The command said investigations are ongoing. It urged residents to provide timely and credible information to aid crime fighting.
