Lagos police bust suspected Aiye Cult cell, arrest five, recover weapons, suspected drugs

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have dismantled a suspected cult cell operating in the Apapa, Ijora and Badia areas of the state.

The force arrested five suspected members and recovering weapons, suspected hard drugs and other incriminating items during an intelligence-led operation.

The operation, carried out by the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), followed credible intelligence on the activities of the group, which police believe has been terrorising residents in the affected communities.

The breakthrough began with the arrest of Abubakar Ayomide, 25, popularly known as “Garbazin,” who allegedly led investigators to the group’s hideout, resulting in the arrest of four other suspects.

Those arrested are Tanko Yusuf, 23; Ahmed Abibu, 24; Abubakar Shafi, 23; and Fatai Mohammed, 25.

Police said the principal suspect confessed to being a member of the Aiye Confraternity and has provided investigators with useful information to aid ongoing efforts to apprehend other fleeing members of the gang.

A search of the hideout led to the recovery of a battle axe, a UTC knife, two other knives, a hammer, substances suspected to be Indian hemp, suspected criminal charms and other exhibits believed to be linked to the group’s activities.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Fatai, warned cultists and other criminal elements operating in Lagos to abandon their activities or face decisive law enforcement action.

“There is no hiding place for cultists in Lagos. The Command remains resolute in identifying, arresting and prosecuting all individuals involved in cult-related violence and other criminal acts,” the police commissioner said.

He reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to intensifying intelligence-driven operations across the state to curb cultism and other violent crimes, assuring residents that security agencies would sustain the momentum until criminal gangs are dismantled.

The commissioner also urged members of the public to continue supporting the police with timely and credible information, assuring them that all reports would be handled with strict confidentiality.

Police said investigations are continuing, while efforts are underway to arrest other members of the suspected cult network before the suspects are charged to court.