The Lagos State Police Command has arrested three suspected cultists and recovered firearms, ammunition, and other dangerous weapons during an intelligence-led operation in Imota area of the state.
In a Wednesday statement, the command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Abimbola Adebisi, said the operation followed credible information from members of the public on the activities of suspected cultists in the area.
Acting on the intelligence, operatives stormed the location and arrested Jelili Adeyemo, 37, alleged to be the armourer of the group; Bisoye Adewale, 42; and John Okeafo, 60.
Items recovered include one Beretta pistol, one locally made pistol, seven Dane guns, 10 live cartridges, seven expended cartridges, one stun gun, two handcuffs, and four cutlasses, among other exhibits.
Adebisi said preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects are members of the Aiye Confraternity the police said the recovered Beretta pistol allegedly belongs to a notorious cultist known as “Mayibone,” who is currently at large.
The suspects have been arraigned and remanded, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend other fleeing gang members and recover additional weapons, the statement reads in part.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Fatai, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to tackling cultism and other violent crimes across the state.
He urged residents to continue supporting the police with timely and credible information to aid ongoing crime-fighting efforts.
The police further encouraged members of the public to report suspicious persons, vehicles, or activities to the nearest police station or through the Command’s emergency lines: 07061019374, 08065154338, 08063299264, 08039344870, 08080193432 (Marine), and 09168630929.
