MICHAEL AKINOLA
A 28-year old man, Farouq Balogun, has landed in trouble in Lagos State after he was caught with a locally made pistol and two live ammunition while returning from a secret cult Initiation.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the Commissioner of Police Tactical Squad led by SP Banti Adamu accosted him on the way and recovered the arms as exhibits and he was detained at the State Command for further investigation.
The incident happened on 24th December, 2025, at Ikotun round-about Lagos, where he was returning from secret cult Initiation on 23rd December, 2025, from Okota area of Lagos.
He was arrested as a suspected armed robber but he quickly confessed to the Police that he was not an armed robber, rather he was coming from Eiye initiation at Chemist bus stop, Okota area of Lagos.
To prove that he was not an armed robber, he reportedly revealed everything about the cult group and how he was taken to the undisclosed location in Okota for the initiation and was returning home with the arms before he was accosted by the Police.
After investigation, the Police found him culpable and charged him before the Ogba Magistrate Court on three-count charges under the Criminal Law of the State.
The charges read:
“That you, Farouq Balogun ‘m’ and others now at large on the 23rd December, 2025 at about 1200hrs at Chemist bust stop, Okota area of Lagos, in Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: unlawful society and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”
COUNT II:”That you, Farouq Balogun ‘m’ and others at large, on the same date, time and place, in the aforesaid Magisterial District, went for Eiye initiation, a cult which is proscribed by the Law as an unlawful society and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 2(3)(a)(b)(c) (d) of-Unlawful Societies Prohibition and Cultism Law of Lagos State Law 2021.”
COUNT III:”That you, Farouq Balogun ‘m’ and others at large, on the 24/12/2025 at about 1100hrs at Ikotun round-about Lagos, in the aforesaid Magisterial District did unlawfully have in your possession one locally made pistol gun with two live cartridges without legal backing authority and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 4 & 8 and punishable under Section 27(i)(il)(iii) of the Firearms Act. Cap F.28, VOL. 6, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2010.”
The Court did not take his plea and he was remanded in custody at the correctional center at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending the outcome of the DPP’s advice following the order of the Court, awhich will determine if the matter will be transferred to the High Court or not over jurisdiction.