Lagos police parade 34 suspects of armed robbery, cultism, occultism

ARINZE NWAFOR, Lagos

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Adegoke Fayoade has paraded 34 suspects of crimes including armed robbery, stealing, cultism and unlawful possession of firearms one month into office.

In what Fayoade called a mark of his achievements since taking office, the police commissioner listed no fewer than 14 cases cracked and a recovery of a total of 16 firearms including a toy pistol, 72 live cartridges, 75 live ammunition, one expended cartridge and one pistol magazine.

The police also recovered six axes, four daggers, one digger, five cutlasses, two vehicles, one POS Machine, fake registration plates and various charms.

The command reported arresting one Idowu Yunusa ‘m’ aged 25 who was seen attacking with intent to rob a passerby around Igando on January 11, 2024, late in the evening and recovering one locally made shotgun from him.

The police also arrested one Damilola Onitinride ‘m’ aged 36 – suspected to be a member of an armed robbery gang – when officers saw him loitering around the Mile 12 area of Lagos and recovered one locally fabricated Beretta pistol with one live ammunition from him.

The police also arrested one Rilwan Kareem ‘m’, Adejumo Noah ‘m’, Oluwadade Oluwasegun ‘m’ and Babatunde Raheed ‘m’ and recovered one locally fabricated double barrel gun from them after they stopped and searched them based on their suspicious movement within the Aguda area of the state.

Earlier on December 17, 2023, the command reported that it scuttled a group of boys who based on credible intelligence were suspected to be members of a confraternity planning to retaliate the death of their leader on other rival cult members in the Ayobo area of Lagos State.

The police dispatched its operatives to the area where one Quadri Mukail ‘m’, Adedoyin Azeez ‘m’, Olayinka Ayodele ‘m’, Orefunwa Olamide ‘m’, Olabode Idowu ‘m’ and Anuoluwapo Ojo ‘m’ were apprehended in possession of one beretta pistol with two cartridges and one axe.

Likewise, on December 28, 2023, police detectives arrested one Lukman Alabi ‘m’, Bukola Raji ‘f’ and Kabirat Gambari ‘f’ in connection with the diversion of 600 bags of rice based on a complaint.

According to the police, while the investigation is still ongoing, the suspects confessed to the crime and some bags of rice were retrieved from them and released to the owner.

The police also arrested seven men; Toheeb Oyekunle, Victor Jimoh, Samuel Okanlawon, Segun Babatunde, Pelumi Ajuloye, Mohammed Ibrahim and Bello Ahmed, in connection with the invasion that took place at Iju Ishaga area of the state where the suspects snatched an AK47 rifle from a police Officer.

The police reported that the suspects confessed to the crime and other criminal activities within Lagos state and environs and the command recovered one cut-to-size AK47 from them.

The police reported a case of conspiracy and cultism that happened on January 11, 2024, where its operatives, upon credible intelligence concerning activities of some hoodlums terrorizing Ikorodu and its environs, swung into action, and arrested one Balogun Tola aka 50 ‘m’ aged 35, Tunde Oladipupo ‘m’ aged 43, Rasa Ridwan ‘m’ aged 27 and Abimbola Aro ‘m’ aged 29 in connection with cult-related activities.

According to the CP, the police recovered some items from them, including three English double barrel guns, one pump action gun, one reining model 700 rifle, one locally made pistol, 74 rounds of live ammunition, 68 rounds of cartridges, one beretta pistol magazine, four battle axes, three daggers and five cutlasses.

In a peculiar encounter, the police acting on credible intelligence that some boys were seen engaging in occultic practices around the Agufoye area of Ikorodu, dispatched its operatives and arrested one Ifeanyi Nwodo ‘m’ aged 39 and Daniel Johnson ‘m’ aged 32.

The investigations conducted into the matter revealed that they were trying to set up their occultic shrine named ‘Indian Occultic Temple’ with the intent to defraud victims by making them believe that the oracle has powers to make them rich and successful.

According to the CP, several occult items including a moulded human head and crafted human effigies were found in the shrine of the suspects.

Fayoade said the suspects would be charged to court after the investigation.

He assured Lagosians that under his watch, the Command would continue to do everything operationally possible to ensure that crime and criminality are brought to the barest minimum in the state.