No fewer than 16 notorious cultists are now cooling their feet in police custody in Lagos, including a wanted kingpin alleged to have been involved in series of killings in the state.
Identified as Olamilekan Tajudeen (aka Ebila), 38, he was said to have been arrested with one locally fabricated baretta pistol on January 13, 2024, at about 10.30am by police operatives.
Six others, said to be members of a confraternity, were also arrested while planning to retaliate their leader’s death on other rival cult members in Ayobo area of the state.
They were identified as one Quadri Mukail, Adedoyin Azeez, Olayinka Ayodele, Orefuwa Olamide, and Anuoluwapo Ojo.
Our correspondent gathered that they were in possession of one berretta pistol with two cartridges and one axe at the time of the arrest.
Five assorted firearms of high calibre were also recovered from two gangs of suspected notorious cultists cum armed robbers by the operatives.
As gathered, four of the suspects identified as Balogun Tola (aka 50), 35, Tunde Oladipupo,43, Rasa Ridwan, 27, and Abimbola Aro, 29, were apprehended in Ikorodu area of the state on January 11, 2024, at about 1.00am.
Three English double barrel gun, one pump action rifle, one reining model 700 rifle, one locally made pistol, 74 rounds of live ammunition, 68 rounds of cartridges, one baretta pistol magazine, four axes, three daggers and five cutlasses were recovered from them.
According to report, six others named Fatai Ajayi, 25, Samuel Issac, 26, Solomon Kamaldeen, 28, Kenneth Danladi, 29, Etuk Ayanime, 28, and Damilola Oyerinde, 36, were nabbed by officers of the Headquarters 9 Brigade of Nigerian Army on January 12, 2024, at about 3.00pm and handed over to the police.
One locally fabricated beretta pistol with one live 9mm ammunition were said to have been recovered from the suspects.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Fayoade Adegoke, while parading the suspects along with others Wednesday at the Command headquarters, GRA, Ikeja, said the suspects were some of the hoodlums terrorizing Ikorodu and its environs, saying the suspects will be charged to court at the conclusion of investigation.
Fayoade assured residents that the Command under his watch would continue to do everything operationally possible to ensure that crime and criminality were brought to the barest minimum in the state.
Similarly, on December 17, 2023, at about 2300hrs, based on credible intelligence that some group of boys suspected to be members of a confraternity were planning to retaliate their leader’s death on other rival cult members in Ayobo area of Lagos State, police operatives of the Command were dispatched to the area where one Quadri Mukail ‘m’, Adedoyin Azeez ‘m’, Olayinka Ayodele ‘m’, Orefuwa Olamide ‘m’ and Anuoluwapo Ojo ‘m’ were apprehended in possession of one berretta pistol with two cartridges and one axe.
On January 13, 2024, at about 1030hrs, operatives of the Command arrested one Olamilekan Tajudeen aka Ebila ‘m’ aged 38, a wanted and notorious cultist leader who was involved in a series of cult related killings. One locally fabricated automatic baretta pistol was recovered from him. Effort is ongoing to arrest other members.
Also January 12, 2024 at about 1500hrs, Headquarters 9 Brigade of Nigerian Army arrested and handed over six suspected armed robbers/cultists named Fatai Ajayi ‘m’ aged 25, Samuel Issac ‘m’ aged 26, Solomon Kamaldeen ‘m’ aged 28, Kenneth Danladi ‘m’ aged 29, Etuk Ayanime ‘m’ aged 28 and Damilola Oyerinde ‘m’ aged 36 along with one locally fabricated beretta pistol with one live 9mm ammunition.
All suspects are to be charged to court at the conclusion of investigation.
