The Lagos State Police Command has arrested five suspected cultists allegedly linked to criminal activities in the Apapa, Ijora, and Badia areas of the state, following an intelligence-led operation by operatives of the Command's Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU).
According to a statement issued on Saturday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, the operation was initiated after credible intelligence led to the arrest of a 25-year-old suspect, Abubakar Ayomide, popularly known as "Garbazin."
Police said the suspect subsequently led operatives to the group's hideout, where four other suspected members were apprehended. They were identified as Tanko Yusuf, 23; Ahmed Abibu, 24; Abubakar Shafi, 23; and Fatai Mohammed, 25.
The Command disclosed that the principal suspect confessed to being a member of the Aiye Confraternity and has provided investigators with useful information to aid ongoing investigations. Police added that efforts are underway to arrest other fleeing members of the suspected criminal gang before charging the suspects to court.
During a search of the hideout, operatives recovered one battle axe, one UTC knife, two other knives, a hammer, substances suspected to be Indian hemp, suspected criminal charms, and other exhibits.
Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Tijani Fatai, warned cultists and other criminal elements operating in the state to immediately abandon their unlawful activities or face the full weight of the law.
"There is no hiding place for cultists in Lagos. The Command remains committed to identifying, arresting, and prosecuting all individuals involved in cult-related violence and other criminal acts," the Commissioner stated.
He reaffirmed the Command's commitment to intensifying intelligence-driven operations across the state to curb cultism and other violent crimes, while urging residents to continue supporting the police with timely and credible information.
The Commissioner also assured members of the public that all information provided to the Command would be treated with strict confidentiality.
