5 Suspected Cultists Arrested as Lagos Police Bust Criminal Hideout
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested five suspected cultists during an intelligence-led operation targeting criminal gangs operating in the Apapa, Ijora and Badia areas of the state.
The operation, carried out by operatives of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), followed credible intelligence that led to the arrest of a key suspect, Abubakar Ayomide, 25, popularly known as “Garbazin.”
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, in a statement, the suspect subsequently led operatives to the gang’s hideout, where four other suspects were apprehended. They were identified as Tanko Yusuf, 23; Ahmed Abibu, 24; Abubakar Shafi, 23; and Fatai Mohammed, 25.
Adebisi said the principal suspect confessed to being a member of the Aiye Confraternity and had provided useful information to investigators. She added that efforts were ongoing to arrest other members of the gang and conclude investigations before prosecution.
She disclosed that a search of the hideout led to the recovery of a battle axe, a UTC knife, two other knives, a hammer, substances suspected to be Indian hemp, items suspected to be criminal charms, and other exhibits.
Reacting to the arrests, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Tijani Fatai, warned cultists and other criminal elements to immediately abandon their activities or face the full weight of the law.
“There is no hiding place for cultists in Lagos. The Command remains resolute in identifying, arresting and prosecuting everyone involved in cult-related violence and other criminal acts,” the police commissioner said.
He assured residents that the Command would continue to intensify intelligence-driven operations across the state until cultism and other violent crimes are significantly curtailed.
The commissioner also urged members of the public to provide timely and credible information to the police, assuring that all reports would be treated with the strictest confidentiality.
