Subscribe: Gist E-Paper
…Police arrest two suspects, recover pistol
At least six persons have been killed in suspected cult-related attacks and reprisal killings across parts of Lagos State, including Ikorodu, Ojo, Ajah, Ibeju-Lekki and Lagos Island.
The killings have heightened tension in some communities, particularly Ikorodu, where suspected cult members have reportedly launched separate attacks in an apparent cycle of violence and retaliation.
Findings by the Nigerian Tribune indicated that at least four persons were killed in separate incidents in Ikorodu, including a former leader of the Aiye Confraternity identified simply as Spirit.
Spirit and two others, identified as Starboy and Muhammed, were reportedly killed over the weekend in the Baiyeku area of Ikorodu.
Starboy was said to be a suspected member of the Aiye group, while Muhammed operated a mobile phone charging business in the community.
Muhammed reportedly sustained deep cuts to his head, with one of his ears severed during the attack. He later died on Sunday at the hospital where he was taken for treatment.
The killing of Spirit, described as an influential cult figure, has reportedly sparked fear among residents of Baiyeku and neighbouring communities, amid threats by members of his group to avenge his death.
In a suspected reprisal attack on Monday night, suspected Aiye members reportedly killed a barber identified simply as Elewure in the Offin area of Ikorodu.
Elewure was not known to be affiliated with any cult group and was described by residents as a peaceful person, raising suspicions that he might have been killed in a case of mistaken identity.
In a separate incident on Sunday, suspected cultists reportedly shot dead a barber identified as Debere, also known as Emma Moet, in the Jakande area of Ojo.
The victim, who had recently started a family, was reportedly attacked inside his shop after the assailants walked directly towards him and shot him at close range.
Another resident of Ojo, identified as Malaika, was also attacked at a drinking spot on Salami Street, Jakande, on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Command has arrested two suspected cult members in the Ajah area and recovered a locally made cut-to-size pistol.
The command's spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, saying operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit acted on credible intelligence to arrest the suspects over alleged cult-related activities along Addo Road.
The suspects were identified as Idris Rasak, 26, popularly known as Aloss, and Ibrahim Kazeem, 25, also known as Asunmo Kebe.
Adebisi said the suspects reportedly confessed during interrogation to belonging to the Eiye Confraternity and led operatives to the Waterside area of Addo, Ajah, where the firearm was recovered.
She added that the suspects remained in police custody as investigations continued to determine the extent of their alleged activities and identify other persons connected to the crimes.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Tijani Fatai, reaffirmed the command's commitment to tackling cultism and other violent crimes through intelligence-led operations.
He urged residents to provide credible information to security agencies to support crime prevention and improve safety across the state.
