Lagos Police arrest four suspected cultists, recover firearms in Egbeda

By Adebola Isimijola, Lagos

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested four suspected cultists and recovered firearms, ammunition and a knife during an intelligence-led operation in the Egbeda area of Lagos.

The suspects, identified as Nurudeen Ganiu, 34; Oluwaleke Fagbula, 38; Emmanuel Silas, 41; and Nurudeen Abdullahi, 41, were apprehended following credible intelligence indicating that suspected cult members were conducting an initiation ceremony in the area.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday, saying operatives of the command carried out a covert operation that led to the arrests.

According to the statement, items recovered from the suspects included a locally made cut-to-size pistol, an English Beretta pistol loaded with 10 live cartridges, and a jack knife.

Preliminary investigations revealed that one of the suspects is an alleged cult gang leader and a former student of a university in Ogun State who was reportedly expelled in 2022 over cult-related activities.

The police further alleged that the gang had been involved in acts of thuggery and violence, terrorising residents of Egbeda and neighbouring communities.

“The suspects reportedly confessed to being active members of the Eiye Confraternity, a notorious secret cult group,” Adebisi stated.

She added that the group allegedly used motorcycles to launch attacks on unsuspecting residents and disrupt social gatherings at gunpoint.

Commending the operatives for the successful operation, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to tackling cultism and other violent crimes across the state.

“The Command remains steadfast in its resolve to combat cultism and all forms of violent crimes across the State,” the commissioner said.

He urged members of the public to remain vigilant and continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to support ongoing crime-fighting efforts.

The suspects remain in police custody as investigations continue.