Lagos Police Arrest 118 Murder, Robbery, Kidnap, Cultism Suspects in April Crackdown
…Recover guns, cash, weapons, inverter batteries in statewide operations
The Lagos State Police Command has recorded massive gains in its anti-crime operations for April 2026, arresting 118 suspects and dismantling multiple criminal networks linked to murder, kidnapping, cultism, armed robbery and vandalism.
Addressing journalists on Wednesday, Commissioner of Police, Tijani Olayiwola Fatai, said the achievements underscore a renewed, intelligence-driven policing strategy aimed at restoring public confidence and eliminating criminal strongholds across Lagos.
Within the period under review, the Command recovered a cache of weapons and illicit items, including 11 locally fabricated Beretta pistols, one English Beretta pistol, two dane guns, a cut-to-size firearm, 21 bags of suspected Indian hemp, nine telecom power batteries, as well as cutlasses, charms and other incriminating materials.
A major breakthrough came on April 27, when operatives carried out coordinated raids in Ilasan, Lekki and Maroko, arresting 58 suspects linked to traffic robberies, phone snatching and street violence along the Lekki corridor. Police said the suspects had been terrorising residents before their capture.
In a separate operation the same day, detectives acting on intelligence arrested two suspected kidnappers in Ikorodu over the abduction and murder of a 17-year-old victim. Investigations further linked the suspects to an earlier kidnapping and death of a female victim in 2025 after a ransom payment.
The Command also cracked down on telecom infrastructure vandalism following complaints from service providers. Three suspects were arrested in Ikeja and Ikorodu, leading to the recovery of nine stolen power batteries and exposing a wider syndicate behind repeated attacks on telecom assets.
Cult-related violence remained a key focus, with multiple arrests across hotspots including Iwaya, Lagos Island, Ajao Estate and Festac. At least 33 suspected cultists were apprehended in separate operations, many linked to violent clashes between rival groups.
Police also responded swiftly to street-level crimes. A suspected armed robber was arrested at Anthony Bridge while attempting to attack a passerby, leading to the recovery of two locally made pistols. In another case, a robbery suspect was apprehended after dispossessing a commuter at Ayetoro Bus Stop.
Further investigations into a cult-related case in Ilasan led to the arrest of five suspects, with police naming additional accomplices still at large. Authorities say efforts are ongoing to apprehend fleeing suspects and recover more weapons.
In a separate intelligence-led operation, two suspected gun runners were arrested while attempting to sell a Beretta pistol, with links traced to a supplier based outside Lagos.
CP Fatai said the successes highlight the effectiveness of proactive policing, intelligence gathering and rapid response strategies deployed by the Command.
“These achievements reaffirm our resolve to rid Lagos of criminal elements and sustain peace and safety across the state,” he said, assuring residents that ongoing operations would leave no safe haven for offenders.
He urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to support crime prevention efforts, adding that all suspects would be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.
