Police Nab Four Suspected Cultists, Seize Weapons in Lagos

The Lagos State Police have arrested four men suspected of being cultists. They seized firearms, ammunition, and a knife during a raid in the Egbeda area.

On Thursday, the police shared a press release on their official X account. The statement was signed by SP Abimbola Adebisi, the Police Public Relations Officer. The arrests happened after the police received tips about a cult initiation ceremony happening at midnight in the area.

The suspects are Nurudeen Ganiu, 34, Oluwaleke Fagbula, 38, Emmanuel Silas, 41, and Nurudeen Abdullahi, 41.

Police operatives acted on the intelligence they received. This led to a secret operation that resulted in the suspects' arrest and the recovery of weapons.

“Acting on credible intelligence received regarding suspected cultists conducting an initiation ceremony at midnight within the Egbeda area of Lagos State, operatives of the Command launched a covert operation, which culminated in the arrest of the suspects,” the statement read.

Among the items recovered are a locally made cut-to-size pistol, an English Beretta pistol with ten live cartridges, and a jack knife.

The police found out that one suspect is a known gang leader and was a university student in Ogun State. He was reportedly expelled in 2022 due to cult activities.

The police said this gang has been involved in thuggery and violent crimes. They have caused fear among residents of Egbeda and nearby areas for some time.

“The gang operates by using motorcycles to launch attacks on unsuspecting members of the public and disrupt gatherings at gunpoint,” the police explained.

CP Tijani Fatai, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, praised the operatives for their professionalism and quick action. He said the operation shows the police's determination to eliminate cultism and violent crimes in the state.

“The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, commends the operatives for their professionalism and swift response, which led to the successful operation,” the police statement added.

He also promised that the command would keep fighting against cult-related activities and violent crimes across the state. He urged residents to continue sharing timely and credible information with security agencies.

The police said investigations are still ongoing. They added that the suspects will be taken to court once the inquiries are complete.