The Lagos State Police Command has arrested 23 suspected cult members in connection with the last Sunday’s killings in the Lekki area of the state.
Three persons were violently murdered and many others injured during a cult war that erupted among rival cult gangs in Lekki Phase 1, on Sunday.
The violent clash and the Killing of the three persons have caused tension in the area, forcing the Lagos State Police Command to deploy massive police personnel to the affected area.
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Meanwhile, the Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) in the affected areas have been redeployed to pave way for thorough investigation.
Our correspondent learnt that the suspects were arrested during a sting operation aimed at cracking down on cult-related activities in the area.
The operation was carried out by a team of detectives from the Lagos State Police Command, who acted on intelligence gathered from the community.
The police spokesperson, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, in a statement issued on Tuesday night, confirmed the arrests, stating that the suspects were linked to the killings of three persons in the Lekki area.
He added that the police were still investigating the matter and that the suspects would be charged to court soon.
Hundeyin stated that the State Police Command had strengthened and beefed up security across Lekki, Ajah and its surrounding areas, including Ogombo, and Elemoro, through the implementation of new crime prevention, detection, and control strategies to ensure safety of lives and properties and safety of private and public investments in the general area.
“To further reinforce the security, the Eko Strike Force, a specialized intervention unit, has been deployed to Lekki and Ajah to address all forms of crime and criminality in the Lekki area and its environs. The Lagos State Police Command calls on residents to cooperate fully with the intervention team to ensure the success of the operations and maintain safety and security for all.
“The Command wish to inform the public that it has commenced discreet investigation into the unfortunate incident that occurred on Sunday in Lekki Phase 1, where an inter-cult clash resulted in the death of three cultists.
“The clash occurred at a security duty post in an uninhabited open land space around Wole Olateju Street, involving members of rival cult groups at about 5am. The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Olohundare Jimoh personally mobilized to the scene with joint police teams to attend the situation and ensure swift action. to attend to the situation. The recently established Anti Cultism Team and other Tactical teams under the Elemoro Area Command were immediately deployed to Lekki phase 1, and several arrests of suspects linked to the crime were made in connection with the incident” he added.
Hundeyin further disclosed that prompt and extensive raids of criminal hideout and blackspots in the entire Lekki areas were carried out leading to the arrests of suspects linked to the clash.
He identified the arrested suspects as: Frank okpara, 27, Friday Ebuka, 27, Babatunde Mufutau, 24, Suleiman Muri , 25, Olamide Malik, 24, Nwaka Lucky , 34, Raphael Ashim ‘m’ aged 30, Wasiu Kareem ‘m’ aged 33, Sadiq olabisi, 40, Ibrahim Abdul ,22, Ibrahim Aminu, 37, Nasiru Musa , 27, Friday Nwafor, 51, Ahmed Fatai, 26, Aro Abiola A.K.A Zino, 25 ,Tijani Shehu A.K.A Abana , 26 , Gift Igedi ,31, Ugochukwu Chike ,30, Ridwan Alex, 37, Happiness Otigbo ,27, Abiodun Adegun , 37, Adedayo Adeoti ,27 and Afeez Ahmed 31.
“Exhibits used in the commission of the crime have been recovered from the suspects. They are One Ak 47 rifle, One magazine, 14 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, One military camouflage cap, Two cutlasses, Raps of Indian hemp, One charm and three Indian hemp crushers.