Operatives of the Lagos Police Command arrested 195 youths for alleged cult and gangster clashes in different parts of the state.
The suspects were arrested between March 20 and June 4 for alleged involvement in acts of terrorism, vandalism, street fighting or cult wars that left many dead, maimed.
Among them were nine men seen in a viral video sometime in May where they interrogated and killed a young man suspected to belong to a rival group at Odogunyan, Ikorodu.
The suspects, Francis Diamond alias ironman; Olaitan Apanpa, 31; Chidi Michael, 25, Eno Sunday, 25; Saheed Gbadebo, 23; Adepeju Azeez, 38; Samuel Ilesanmi; Omotosho Quadri, 25, and Moses Ogungbe, 28 were arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) following order by the Inspector General of Police (IG) Mohammed Adamu to fish out the culprits of the televised murder.
It was gathered that detectives first apprehended Diamond, who allegedly recorded the video and he useful statements that led to the arrest of the other eight.
Parading thr suspects Wednesday, Police Commissioner Hakeem Odumosu said Apanpa pulled the trigger that killed the victim, adding that all the suspects belonged to Eiye cult group.
He said they confessed to have murdered the victim because he participated in the killing of one of their leaders at the University of Ibadan early this year.
“It was equally revealed that the suspects are serial killers of rival cult members in Ikorodu and environs, especially Saheed Gbadebo, who single handedly killed two victims at Bayekun Street, Ikorodu and five persons at Ajah. The suspects will be charged to court,” said Odumosu.
Odumosu said 10 of the suspects were apprehended at Ijora-Badia and Ifelodun areas of Ajegunle.
He said on May 21, operatives received distress call around 3om that group of armed cultists were seen at Ijora-Badia underbridge vandalising and looting properties.
“Upon the receipt of the information, Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) operatives swung into action and mobilized to the scene. They arrested seven suspects, Saheed Idris, 28; Sunday Ifelowo, 28; Adams Babatunde, 32; Akeem Ajibola, 32; Jamiu Balogun, 24; Sodiq Balogun, 22; and Muritala Ibrahim, 22.
“It was revealed that the suspects belong to Aiye and Eiye confraternities and were responsible for attacks on the resident of Ijora/Ajegunle.”
Odumosu said three suspected gangsters were arrested around 7:15pm on March 20 at Ifelodun, Ajegunle for robbing and terrorising residents. He identified the suspects as Jamiu Wasiu, 19, Idris Azeez, 19, and Abraham Umoh, 19, adding that 10 cutlasses were recovered from them.
He added, “Arrest of two notorious cult members and recovery of firearms.
“On June 4, at about 1630hrs, an information was received that some group of boys were sighted at Oke-Suna area of Lagos Island brandishing arm, preparing to either rob or attack unsuspecting victims. Upon the receipt of the information, police operatives swiftly mobilized to the scene and arrested two of the suspects while others escaped. Items recovered from them include one cut to size locally made pistol with two live cartridges. The suspects are Adeyemi Olanrewaju, 25, and Lukman Seun, 25,. They confessed to be member of “AIYE” confraternity. They said they bought the gun from one Raimi now late at the rate of Twenty-five thousand Naira (N25,000) for cult activities. It was revealed that the suspects were preparing to fight rival cult group at Lagos Island before they were arrested.
“Eleven alleged notorious cultists were arrested on May 24 at Ebute-Meta following a two-day violent clash between members of Aiye and Eiye cult groups at Feemen, Kadara and Markets Streets that left many injured.”
The police boss said those arrested were Ibrahim Yahaya, 36; John Olorunwa, 23; Ayo Ogunshe, 17; Rilwan Fukunle, 21; Fatai Akanbi, 22; Muiz Sanusi, 21; Kazeem Fatai, 23; Samuel Adeyemi, 26; Khalifa Babatunde, 27; Kehinde Oladapo, 23, and Mubarak Alate, 23, adding that matchets, axes and knives were recovered from them.
At Igbogbo in Ikorodu, Odumosu said the police arrested four suspected cultists around 9pm on May 21 Similarly, four suspected cultists, Anuolapo Mogaji, 26, Samson Isaac, 30, Tobi Daniel, 21 and Adesanya Ganiu, 20, where they gathered to plot a deadly attack on a rival group.