Police Declare War On Cultists, 70 Arrested

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Imohimi Edgal has declared war on members of cult groups and already arrested 70 suspects in various areas in the state.

CP Edgal while parading the suspects at the Police Command at Ikeja declared that the Command will no longer tolerate the activities of cult groups and hence the police was ready to deal with them. He said that it was better that members confessed and be absorbed for rehabilitation or they will be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.

The police boss stated that the Command was not ignorant of the fact that a large number of youths had joined various cult groups for various reasons. He said that the bottom line was that those youths who were misled to belong to the cult groups can be easily manipulated by criminal elements within the group which will in turn affect the larger society.

 “In view of this development, the Police command has begun the massive clamp down on criminal gangs with the resolve to arresting and diligently prosecuting its members” he said.

He said that the resolve paid off five days after when the operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad arrested the killers of a top member of the Neighbourhood and Safety Corps, late Monsuru Bolaji, in Aguda in Surulere area of Lagos.

Edgal stated that three of the suspects namely – Muyideen Bello, a.k.a 17, Waisu Adia a.k.a trouble and Nurudeen Odofin have confessed to have participated in the murder that took place at Umunede Bar in Mallam Isa Close, Aguda, Lagos.

He said while the police was making frantic efforts to arrest the remaining suspects who murdered late Bolaji, the police got information that some cult groups went to a shrine at Ajah area to initiate new members. He said the police rounded them up, arrested about 57 of the suspects, recovered about four vehicles which they used during the initiation including arms and ammunition.

Edgal said that another set of cult members were arrested at Ikorodu area and other parts of Lagos and that they were being detained at the Command for prosecution after the conclusion of investigations.

Some of the cults groups mentioned who their members were arrested included the Eiye and the Vikings confraternity and the suspects were paraded at the Command. Some of the suspects confessed their involvement in cult activities while some said that they were coerced to join them without their parents’ knowledge.