Lagos Police Arrest Five Suspected Cultists, Recover Weapons, Hard Drugs

• The Lagos State Police Command has arrested five suspected cultists allegedly terrorising the Apapa, Ijora and Badia areas, recovering weapons, suspected hard drugs and other incriminating items during the operation.

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested five suspected cultists believed to be terrorising residents of the Apapa, Ijora and Badia areas of the state.

Police operatives also recovered weapons, suspected hard drugs and other items during the intelligence-led operation.

The Command’s spokesperson, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin (Editor’s note: the source names Abimbola Adebisi, but the current Lagos Police Public Relations Officer is CSP Benjamin Hundeyin. If you’re reporting strictly from the source, retain the source attribution.) said in a statement on Saturday that operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) carried out the operation following credible intelligence.

According to the statement, officers first arrested Abubakar Ayomide, also known as “Garbazin,” aged 25, who later led them to the gang’s hideout where four additional suspects were apprehended.

The other suspects were identified as:

• Tanko Yusuf, 23
• Ahmed Abibu, 24
• Abubakar Shafi, 23
• Fatai Mohammed, 25

The police said the principal suspect admitted being a member of the Aiye Confraternity and had provided investigators with useful information.

“Efforts are ongoing to apprehend other members of the criminal gang and conclude investigations for prosecution,” the statement said.

During a search of the suspects’ hideout, police recovered several items, including:

• One battle axe
• One UTC knife
• Two other knives
• One hammer
• Substances suspected to be Indian hemp
• Items suspected to be criminal charms
• Other exhibits

Reacting to the arrests, the Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Fatai, warned cultists and other criminal elements operating in Lagos State to immediately abandon their activities or face the full weight of the law.

“There is no hiding place for cultists in Lagos, as the Command remains resolute in identifying, arresting and prosecuting every individual involved in cult-related violence and other criminal acts,” the commissioner said.

He assured residents that the Command would continue to intensify intelligence-led operations across the state until cultism and other violent crimes are decisively curtailed.

The commissioner also urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to the police, assuring that all reports would be treated with strict confidentiality.

For emergencies or information sharing, the Command advised residents to contact the following numbers:

• 07061019374
• 08065154338
• 08063299264
• 08039344870
• 08080193432 (Marine Unit)
• 09168630929